Summer Travel Musts
When it comes to knowing where to go, what to do, and what to take with... Lifestyle Expert Lawrence Zarian (twitter @lawrencezarian) is the guy to turn to!
Lawrence says the ultimate place to be this summer is Monterey County! "It's the gemstone of the California coasts," says Lawrence, "made up of stunning beaches, picturesque views, and this summer there is literally something for everyone to do!"
Kicking off in July, it's the two-week long Carmel Bach Festival (considered Americans most important musical fest). Relax and listen to the sounds of "classical music from Bach to Mozart," says Lawrence.
Also in July is the Rodeo Salinas! "It's the largest rodeo in California and incorporates two of Monterey's favorite things- wine and poetry," says Lawrence.
And to round off the month is the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix. "It's one of Monterey County's biggest attractions," says Lawrence and for good reason...the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is the only motor race in the country where fans can meet riders and engineers. And keep your eyes open for celebs!
In August it's the Carmel by the Sea Winemakers Celebration featuring more than 125 wines from 30 of Monterey County's best wineries. "Monterey is the only region in California to be named this years' top 10 wine regions by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, " says Lawrence. Wine lovers can bring wine to the beach for great bonfires and picnics.
August is also perfect for car fanatics! "The Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance- a county tradition where 200 of the best collector cars in the world gather on the legendary 18th fairway of pebble beach in late august," says Lawrence.
Music your thing? Well Monterey launches their inaugural First City Festival where Coachella meets Monterey with more than 30 bands playing. Or treat your ears to some great jazz at the Monterey Jazz Festival. "It's the longest continually running annual jazz event in the world where more than 500 bands play," says Lawrence.
Lastly, come mid September Monterey gets physical for their Pacific Grove Triathlon. "Swim the famous Kelp Crawl, cycle along Pebble Beach and run down the coast," says Lawrence. Check out seemonterey.com for more info on all these events and more!
"Now when it comes to stylish essentials to pack the most important ... Sunglasses!" says Lawrence. However, in reality 40% of adults don't wear them, putting them at risk for long-and short-term health risks like cataracts and macular degeneration, not to mention unsightly wrinkles.
Lawrence says to "Look for sunglasses that provide broad spectrum UV protection like a dark lens." Without proper UV coatings you're actually put your eyes at risk because your pupils dilate and allow UV rays in. So that is why Lawrence says its important to "buy from a reputable dealer, avoid street vendors, buy multiple pairs for different activities to go with your lifestyle."
His recommendations? Oversized and wraparound styles for the most coverage. "And of course they are also the ultimate fashion statement for the ladies," says Lawrence.
Trends for the ladies include "retro round and cat eyes are hot and oversized looks lots of bold colorful frames from neons, blues, greens, but also pastels, neutral-even white is hot this season," says Lawrence. Also there are lots of detailed embellishments this season as well as floral print, metal accents, and cool lenses like gradients, rosy pinks, purples and even mirrored!
For the guys Lawrence says, "wrap around are hot and aviators are a continuing trend," he also says "lots of bold color frames: aquas and royal blue are really making a statement some even with translucent/crystal effects and lots of detailing like these metallic rims." Find all these styles and more on the latest eyewear trends and UV protection at eyecessorize.com.
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