Happy Fourth! We just got back to sweltering Boston and spent the morning up north doing one of our favorite activities – picking delicious fruit at Parlee Farms! Over the years, we’ve enjoyed picking fresh peaches, berries, apples and pears at local farms, but cherries are a first for us and they did not disappoint. The cherry window is very short, so be sure to go soon if it’s on your list! I blogged before about this farm and their delightfulย cut-your-own flower fieldsย – the owners were telling us they planted an acre of sunflowers as well this year!
In sale news, my striped dress here is currently 40% off with free shipping (no minimum). Continue reading below for a few other holiday sales going on right now!
H&M
Tons of holiday markdown including steals on womens and cute kids / baby stuff! If you’re expecting, also be sure to check out their large assortment of saleย nursing and maternity pieces, including these maternity 3/4 length leggingsย I love that are now $6!
Express
– Tie waist high rise sash pantsย and mid rise ankle jogger pantsย (30% off) – remember these super popular pantsย that I blogged last year? These two current options look very similar with great reviews, and are available starting in xxs petite!
–ย Mix & match swimsuitsย (50% off!) – I’ve been wearing this ruffle tie front top + scalloped bikini bottoms on repeat! Wore it here and squeezed into it again here. Their swim pieces are generally good quality with lining, removable bust pads, and adjustable straps if applicable.
Ann Taylor
– $59.50 sandals event – Such a good deal (and not final sale), as this is almost 60% off! Includes these suede block-heeled sandals (“blush” is a pretty neutral), and these crossover leather sandals in classic black or tan.
– My ruched knit pencil skirt from this blog post is now $24 – $28 in two colors!
– These fun red gingham kitten heelsย are just $36 (from $138) and avail in sz 5+ but note they are final sale
J.Crew
– Striped midi dress sz XS (40% off; straight-cut style), worn above at the farm. As fewer and fewer pieces in my closet fit these days, I’ve been shamelessly repeating outfits from head to toe! More photos of today’s outfit can be found inย this blog postย .
– Petite work pants and jeans. I can’t come close to fitting in these now, but their Cameron pantsย (see my review) run small with no waist gap, and they’re usually excluded from sales!
As some of you saw on Instagram, my grandpa has not been doing well so we visited him in LA over last weekend. For the elderly, I feel like physical health is almost directly linked to one’s spirits. The moment he saw us, his face completely lit up and he joined us out and about for the first time in weeks! The trip was worth it just to see him that radiant, excitedly snapping pictures (for his social media which he takes very seriously, lol!) and chowing down at all the restaurants we took him to.
Top left: Traditional Chinese / Taiwanese breakfast at Huge Tree Pastry in Montery Park, CA. Sweet tofu pudding with peanuts, sticky rice rolls (fan tuan), baked sesame bread, and fried donut sticks (you tiao) dipped in soy milk. My grandparents are from Northern China whereas I was born in Southern China. I’m more partial to savory breakfasts and dim sum for that reason, but these simple, authentic dishes made them so happy and nostalgic!
Top right:ย Udon and tempura at Marugame Udon. Simple but satisfying. Only get the tempura if it’s fresh out of the fryer, as some of it looked rather soggy from sitting around.
Not pictured: Nick and I had dinner one night at Kazu Nori handroll bar after the elderly went to bed. We love Sugarfish so had been meaning to try this! Very simple concept with few but good quality ingredients (fresh seafood, warm rice, crisp nori seaweed wrapper) together hit the spot. Also enjoyed the meal pacing – each new roll is made once you’re done with your previous one.
Not pictured: Din Tai Fung is always a hit.
Top Left: We also tried a few different places in Grand Central Market in downtown LA, and thought this sampler platter at La Tosataderia was yummy. Each of the mini tacos and ceviches had a slightly different flavor profile. The seafood cocktail in the back was good, but I wish it came in a half portion.
Top Right:ย Tofu stews + short ribs at SKD Tofu House. We’re deprived of great Korean food in Boston, so no trip to LA or NYC is ever complete without some!
While the grandparents napped, Nick and I snuck off to Smorgasburg food market on Sunday for some Shrimp Daddy platters and Chi Chi Dango shaved ice! These dishes brought us right back to Hawaii and were so good on a hot day.
We drove by Echo Lake one day and decided to stop and stroll around. What a beautiful little respite not too far from central LA! We spent about an hour enjoying the lotus flowers, and watching the plentiful turtles, ducks, and bird mamas with their babies. They also have swan paddle boats if you go with kids!
I hope your grandpa is feeling better. It looked like he was in good spirits when he saw you. My grandma is 92 and I love visiting and talking to her. I know it gets lonely so anything to keep the spirits on the up and up. Looking beautiful in your striped dress and so many good eats! I visit LA every so often so I am excited to try some of your recommendations!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
Awww. Grandparents are the best! Glad you had a wonder visit with them
I love when you feature your grandparents. They are so cute. I hope your grandpa is back to his usual self real soon.
I watched your Insta stories while you were visiting your grandparents! Looked like you had a lot of fun! They are so cute. ๐
Jae
http://www.allthatjae.com
Dear Jean,
I have been following your tips and tricks for petite dressing for a while and could not be happier. Could you please suggest a travel solution for expectant plus sized petite travelers for work? I have a suit that I would like to avoid getting wrinkled but most of the garment bags that I have seen with the convenience of wheels do not come with enough room for a fully stocked makeup bag, and other accessories. Any advice you might have would be much appreciated.
Hi Zee, thank you for the kind comment! For work I never really used garment bags and just stuck with one roller hard sided carry on. Delsey brand titanium line is an older collection but we’ve used it for years and its durable and lightweight. You can just place the suit gently folded in half on the very top after rolling up your other garments to fill the space in the suitcase.
Hi Jean, you are glowing! Your grandparents are so cute ๐
Thanks for the sal pics. I picked up the blush lace skirt from H&M. What would you style it with? I love the color.
Hi Teresa! I miss wearing fitted pencil skirts ; ) I would pair it with a white / cream or gray camisole or blouse, or you could do a monochromatic look with more blush on top. I also love pairing lace with patterns like stripes or floral print!
I loved your food diaries! Eating your way around LA is no easy task, and you definitely covered some ground! I also love the fruit and flower picking. Perfect summer activity!
Looks like you ate your heart out in LA! love Smorgasburg and Kazu Nori.
May || http://themoderness.com/
I live in LA and haven’t been to most of the places you listed. Taking mental notes!
I live in So CA and it is great to see your restaurant recommendations. I love Sugarfish so will try some of the others in your post. On our way to Boston on 7/7 for a family vacation, so would also appreciate any restaurant recommendations you may have in Boston.
Hi Jan! Hope you enjoy your visit this weekend! Please see this post … I’ve been trying to keep it updated every so often : )
https://www.extrapetite.com/2016/07/boston-ma-visitors-guide-what-to-do.html
I think your visit greatly improved your grandfather’s health. He’s beaming in these photos. I’d love to read more about Southern China where you are from. I’ve been 3 times but always go to the Dali, Yunnan Province area.
I agree, Debra! And I’ve actually never been to that area – hope to visit some day!
Jean, would you be willing to share your family’s story about immigrating to the United States? Thanks.
Hi Jane, I never thought about that but thank you for the suggestion! I’ll have to go down memory lane and gather up some memories / facts with my family : )
Wondering if you could share where to eat and visit in Boston area. We will be there July 12-15. Thank you so much. Congratulations with your pregnancy:)
Hi Loan – have you seen this blog post? It’s an older post but I’ve been keeping it updated every so often. Hope you enjoy your visit!
https://www.extrapetite.com/2016/07/boston-ma-visitors-guide-what-to-do.html
This is so cute!
Fruit picking sounds like an ideal Fourth of July activity. ๐ Sorry to hear about your grandfather’s health but it’s lovely that your trip lifted his spirits. x
http://www.yzwears.com
More of your grandparents please! I hope you get to spend more time with them soon.
You look super lovely in your striped dress and I see you really enjoyed the time with your grandparents!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
Cherry ๐ picking are the best! Always a beautiful post!
Awww, your family is so cute, Jean! I really enjoyed this post, time with your loved ones is sacred, and really the best! โค๏ธ Cherry picking sounds like an awesome activity, I wish I could try it one day too! ๐
http://charmainenyw.com
Aww I hope your grandpa is feeling better, Jean! So glad that you and Nick got to spend some time with him and your grandma! <3 ๐
XO, Elizabeth
http://clothestoyouuu.com/