Between Us, vol 2.
Your favorite picks, why we ended up in Sedona, birthday trip highlights, dreamy Southern hotels I'm dying to stay at, travel essentials that have earned their place + more!
Hi friends!
If you followed along on Instagram, you’ll know its been a whirlwind of a week and reading about all your travel mishaps made me laugh and feel less alone.
We were fully packed and ready for New York, and then our flights were cancelled. Cue the slightly stressy last-minute rebooking, hotel reshuffling, unpacking, repacking … literally, the whole thing!
But weirdly? I felt calm. In those moments, where you could easily become anxious and try too hard to make ‘fetch happen, as they say, I always choose to believe that they’re actually a divine redirection to something better. So we rolled with it. Although, I was a little disappointed that all of the re-booking hash out took time away from finalizing my 30 Things I Learned in My Thirties post but, maybe that was supposed to happen, too.
And, funnily enough, that was just the beginning. Our travel day was quite eventful — we forgot the backpack with Louie’s car seat, Lawson spike a fever as John went to retrieve, we discovered the hard way that Louie gets car sick very easily in the mountains just as we were 10 minutes from the hotel, John had to find a car cleaning place to spray it all out, and we thought we lost our joint credit card for about 20 minutes in the midst of trying to check-in to the hotel. Ha, as stressful as those kinds of travel days, especially with kids, can be … I tend to think they make for good stories later on.
Thankfully, the craziness ended there. The rest of our trip was incredible. Sedona is a really special place and I only wish we could have 1. stayed longer and / or 2. planned for the trip more in advance. There were some incredible things to do with kids that we were too late in getting tickets OR, if we had done them, it would have taken away from actually seeing the main bits of Sedona. I also found so many incredible hikes and experiences that were just better suited for a trip with girlfriends or your significant other. So, I’m really keen to come back and explore more. I’ll be sharing more about our trip later in today’s newsletter and in a future post here on Substack.
Before we get into today’s newsletter, let’s go over …
… a bit of housekeeping: Things have been a bit quieter than usual around here, and I’m so grateful for your patience and for sticking with me. As a thank you, I’m placing a four-week pause on all paid subscriptions. During this time, every post will be open to all subscribers. After March 17th, paid content will resume and you’ll have the option to upgrade at that point if you’d like. New paid subscriptions will remain paused for now, and I’ll be sure to let you know when they reopen.
From our last-minute Sedona plans to the travel-day essentials that survived the chaos, plus a few southern hotels I’ve been dreaming about, here’s what’s in store for today’s newsletter:
+ Top Sellers of the Week
+ Where We Ended Up & Why Not Scottsdale
+ Birthday Trip Highlights
+ Six Travel Day Must-Haves
+ Southern Hotels to Consider for a Relaxing Birthday Getaway
Here’s what I have planned to share this week across my platforms:
+ Substack: The Style Dossier | March 2026
+ Substack: 3 Things I Learned In My Thirties
+ Instagram: A little birthday evening outfit inspiration, snapshots from our Sedona getaway and a round-up or the outfits I’ve been wearing and loving.
Top Sellers of the Week
The pieces you wasted no time on this week. There were clear standouts and I always find this roundup so interesting because it tells me exactly what’s resonating right now.
FarmRio Sea Garden Jacket: I wore this for my birthday dinner because we had a later reservation and it was absolutely perfect! I love the cooler tones colors within the pattern & think the striped piping creates a beautiful juxtaposition.
Sam Edelman Ankle Strap Sandal: I wore these quite a few days on our trip and can happily report that I have no blisters. I am wanting to invest in the Margaux Flat Sandal for over a year now but thought it’d be best to test drive something more affordable first to see how much I’d actually wear this type of sandal compared to my typical Tory Burch slide or Tory Burch Miller sandals during the summer.
Cloud Fleece Half-Zip Sweatshirt: I’m still shocked by this as I first shared this product in a round-up of what I’m eyeing and buying in January. If you bought it, let me know how you like it!
J.Crew Striped Sleeveless Dress: This looks perfect for Summer and it’s currently 20% off!
CozyEarth Toile Pajama Set: Ha, I actually wore these last night. I’ll try to remember to feature them on stories this week! They were one of my most worn purchases of 2025.
Where We Ended Up & Why Not Scottsdale
We ended up in Sedona, Arizona after considering so many places; lots of suggestions from you guys which was so helpful. Before NYC was even booked, I had briefly considered Turks & Caicos, San Miguel and Palm Beach. None of them worked out for one reason or another - timing, logistics or availability. While our first instinct after cancellation was actually London + Cornwall to see friends and family, we had to look elsewhere because we’re still waiting on John’s green card to physically arrive. Even though he’s been approved, we can’t travel internationally until it’s in hand, so staying in the U.S. became essential.
So many of you suggested Scottsdale, and it was very close to being the choice. But booking last minute meant hotel options within our budget were limited. And with two little boys and only four days, we decided it would be easier to stay in one place instead of splitting time. We also thought that, while Scottsdale looks lovely and worth visiting, Sedona might have more to do and see. We did sneak in lunch in Scottsdale on our first day, just to get a taste, and it absolutely lives up to the hype.
So, Sedona is what we landed on and, wow … what a place! It almost looks otherworldly.
When I first heard about it, someone described it as a bit of a “woo-woo” epicenter, which naturally intrigued me as I believe there’s so much ‘out there’ [within us and around us] that we haven’t been able to nail down but holds incredible truth. Sedona is known for its energetic vortexes within and amid the distinctive red rock formations. Although not scientifically-proven, it is suggested that these vortex’s are the source of energetic healing and peace and can bring about an increased sense of self-awareness. Some theories even suggest the high iron content in the rocks contributes to the energy people feel here.
Whether it’s the energy, or just the landscape itself, there’s something undeniably grounding about it. It’s one of those places that is absolutely stunning to the point that you can’t believe it’s real.
Six Travel Day Must-Haves
At this point, everything that goes into my carry-on has earned its place. If it’s not functional, versatile or genuinely helpful mid-travel [especially with two little ones] it doesn’t make the cut. These six pieces come with me every time, no matter where I’m going.
» This tote is lightweight, wipeable and deceptively spacious. Fits everything without being bulky and slides easily under the seat. I love that it looks elevated but can handle snacks and spills.
» You know I love my Leatherology. This train case keeps all my beauty go-to’s contained and easy to grab. The structure means nothing gets crushed and it’s small enough to stay organized without overpacking.
» Likewise, their tech bag keeps me from digging through my bag mid-flight looking for a single cable.
» A portable magnetic charger that has saved me more than once. It snaps right onto my phone, lives in my tote and keeps me from hunting for outlets in airports when my battery inevitably dips into red after using all the apps a travel day requires.
» Airplanes are always freezing and I have two options that I alternate between. This is the layer I reach for every time. It’s soft, cozy and still feels pulled together enough to wear straight off the plane. If not this, then, I opt for my favorite oversized cashmere crewneck.
» Cabin air is brutal and this butter balm is my way of attempting to combat the dry air. It’s deeply hydrating without feeling greasy and the size makes it easy to keep in the outer pocket of my tote. I reapply this constantly on longer flights.
While these are the physical essentials that earn a spot in my tote, I also shared the digital ones in this Substack. I break down the apps I rely on for navigating new cities, managing flight changes, adjusting to time zones and streamlining airport logistics. Together, they’re the systems that make travel feel far more seamless and intentional.
What are your non-negotiables when you travel? Any must-haves you can’t leave home without? Let me know!
Birthday Trip Highlights
Honestly, traveling — in and of itself — was the greatest gift and highlight of the trip for me. I have been compiling highlights from each year over the last decade for my 30 Things I Learned In My Thirties post and, honestly, some of my favorite years were so travel heavy. I have always loved everything about travel. Sure, there are delays and many things can happen that are outside of your control but, on the other side of that, is something that brings me this immense joy. I feel like I have such an explorer’s heart. I love checking out new places and seeing what they have to offer. This world is just so diverse and so beautiful and I’ve missed immersing myself in it these last few years. And I am determined for that to change starting this year. So, going on the trip in general was one of the main highlights … especially to a place like Sedona that is drastically different to any other place I’ve ever been to.
Moreover, I love seeing Louie travel. I love seeing him get excited about getting to the airport [he says it’s one of his favorite places], getting on the plane, and becoming more knowledgable about how to travel well. He isn’t overwhelmed or intimidated by it at all and has impressed me so much with his understanding on what our travel days entail. He also loves exploring the places we go, as well. I asked him where he wants our next trip to be and he said Australia. I half thought he would just say “England” because he knows England but, for him to say, Australia really showed me just how much he is gaining an understanding of the world and the places in it.
Making memories as a family was up there, as well. You get so busy with everyday life when you’re home and we could explore more of our area as a family on the weekends — and we should — but, it’s easy to get bogged down by prioritizing the management of the home when you have two little ones. It helps your sanity day to day so, being able to be away from that environment, and just spend quality time together, making memories, really filled my cup.
Another highlight was hiking, which is something I’ve grown to love a lot more as I’ve gotten older. I love conquering something that feels quite daunting at first. We’re all doing that in our lives in some form or another but there’s something really satisfying about achieving something within an hour or two that was quite hard and lead to an incredible result that I really enjoy. We didn’t go on as many as I would have liked but I’m a sucker for a view and the look-out points and the hikes we went on were really incredible. I can only imagine how much more mesmerizing the harder hikes I bookmarked are — that were a bit out of our league with the kiddies.
More to come from our trip to Sedona but those were the main highlights!
Southern Hotels to Consider for a Relaxing Birthday Getaway
When I was striking out on a lot of locations, I thought maybe we should just go somewhere closer to home and only go for a couple of nights ... I considered these as I have heard great things from friends and family + they’re on my list to scout for future travel clients, as well.
Here are a few that feel especially birthday-worthy —
Palm House - Palm Beach, FL
A newer boutique hotel in the Heart of Palm Beach with a playful and colorful vibe. If you want something chic, walkable and a little less expected than a legacy resort, this would be ideal.
The Cloister at Sea Island - Sea Island, GA
Classically Mediterranean, coastal and incredibly polished. Think manicured grounds, private beach access, and very well run. It’s upscale without being stuffy.
Montage Palmetto Bluff - Bluffton, SC
This feels like a long weekend kind of place. You bike to coffee, sit by the water, dress up for dinner and don’t rush anything. Lowcountry at its finest.
The Dunlin - Charleston, SC
Smaller, quieter and a little more design-driven. Close enough to Charleston for a proper dinner, far enough away to actually unwind.
Southhall Farm & Inn - Franklin, TN
If your idea of a birthday is wellness, fresh air and really good food, this one makes sense. It’s farm-based, nature-forward and feels restorative rather than celebratory.
Which of these spots would you choose for a birthday getaway? Or do you have a favorite southern escape I need to add to my list? Let me know in the comments!
In case you missed it …
Here are a few recent posts that went up this week!
Thanks for spending part of your Saturday with me, can’t wait to see you here next week!
xx. Haley