One of my favorite places to shop locally is the Palladio in Folsom; I love the great mix of shopping + dining and entertainment. I was recently selected to be the Blogger of the Month at Palladio and with my friend Lauren in town visiting from Atlanta, Georgia it made perfect sense to spend our afternoon eating some good food, doing some shopping.

Our first stop of the day, hitting up Pinkberry for some frozen yogurt and fruit.

Next, we stopped at MAC Cosmetics and tried on some new lip colors for Summer. We both were looking for the new perfect pink nude color. It’s so funny how friends easily gravitate to the same color, we both loved the Mocha. It’s the perfect natural lip color that compliments out skin tones.

One of the boutiques I’ve wanting to visit is Apricot Lane; I finally got the chance when Lauren was in town and loved it! The store is of pretty dresses, tops, accessories including sunglasses. I came home with the most beautiful summer top, can’t wait to visit again and get some more goodies for Summer!

By the way, we always break for pretty flooring, case in point Leopard Carpet at Apricot Lane!

Lauren and I had so much fun shopping at Charming Charlie and looking through the large selection of jewelry and more. We both found a sunglasses and pushed ourselves out of our Sunglass Style Rut. Me, I almost always opt for Aviator Style sunglasses, and Lauren loves cat eye style glasses. With her help, I found two new styles for me, including a darling pair of heart shade pair of sunglasses! Love them!

All the shopping was making us hungry for some sweets; we made a stop to check out the goodies in the newly opened shop Pretty Sweet. The bakery is full of yummy desserts including to die for macaroons. Of course, some came home with us for some late night blogging/snacking.

The Luxe is a new movie theatre at the Palladio that also includes a full bar area and restaurant. We loved the vibe inside and initially went stopped in to have a few drinks and quickly decided, dinner would be a must! You can enjoy drinks and food without seeing a movie which is excellent! We ordered two flatbread pizzas, Margarita and Chicken Artichoke and opted to share and also ordered spicy Buffalo Spring Rolls. I’m usually not a huge fan of spicy, but these egg rolls hit the spot. In addition to the large lounge area inside the LUXE, they also have a huge outdoor seating area to enjoy. The atmosphere inside the LUXE was so chill and it's a great place to visit and enjoy good eats and drinks, check out the menu.

When planning your next Girls Day out make sure to spend time at the Palladio and enjoy some good eats and shopping. Also, check out the Summer Concert Series, live music every Wednesday evening, check out more event details here.

Last week, Lauren and I shared deets of our girls trip weekend in San Francisco. We had an amazing time, saw all the sites, enjoyed amazing lattes and ate some fantastic food. Check out The Girlfriends Guide to San Francisco here. While in the city we stayed at Kimpton Sir Francis Drake Hotel for the weekend. We loved the hotel so much: hotel history, the decor, hotel vibe, evening drink reception and more.

Hotel History & Hotel Vibe // The boutique hotel is in the heart of Union Square on the corner of Sutter and Powell; the 21 story hotel, was built in 1926. The hotel is within walking distance to all the major department stores, boutique shops and The Museum of Icecream, just to name a few.

Upon arriving at Sir Francis Drake, you're greeted by the iconic Beefeater Doorman (perfect for an Instagram photo-op). Once you walk into the hotel, you're transported to a time of old-world elegance, a fantastic staircase, and elegant bar. The San Francisco Cable car rolls by the hotel throughout the day making it the perfect spot to take pictures, plus the Cable Car stop is only a block away from the hotel.

Hotel Room // We stayed in a queen double room on the 12th floor. Our room had twin windows with an incredible view overlooking Union Square. I loved the room vibe! My room favorites, the pretty headboard that felt classic and modern, the pop of red from the nightstand and desk area.

Below Lauren is sharing Hotel dining options and hotel perks!

During a hotel stay, it’s important to have great dining options within the hotel for those times when you don’t want to venture out. Luckily, when you’re staying at Sir Francis Drake, you only need to venture to either the main level or the upper level.

Restaurants and Bars // On the main level, you will find the popular restaurant, Scala’s Bistro, serving rustic Italian cuisine. Scala’s is a popular spot where even the local chefs dine! The restaurant is gorgeous inside and the food and drinks that we had were amazing. The staff was super friendly and we felt right at home. We started off with the goat cheese asparagus pizza which was UNREAL!

The creaminess of the goat cheese paired with the asparagus and onion was incredible. We ordered the Aperol Spritz cocktail to accompany our brunch consisting of Cobb Salad (Katrina) and Porchetta Sandwich with green salad (me). For dessert, we had the Lemon Silk with Blackberry compote and rosemary cookies. When Staying at the Sir Francis Drake hotel or even just visiting San Francisco, a meal at Scala’s Bistro is a must!

If you want a little taste of night life paired with gorgeous city views, head to the 21st floor to visit the swanky and historic Starlight Room! The gorgeous hotel decor continues here with red velvet couches, antique chandeliers and beautiful, bold wallpaper. The views of the city are equally amazing. The Starlight room offers a menu of light fare and appetizers along with a beautiful bar space. Sunday during their brunch hours, they host “Sunday’s a Drag” which is a very popular drag show.

images via Sir Francis Drake Hotel

After a long day exploring the city, kick back and unwind at Bar Drake which is the bar located in the hotel lobby. The seating was plentiful and the champagne we had was perfect after a long day of travelling. I really loved the atmosphere at Bar Drake and the bartender was very friendly.

Hotel Amenities // When staying at Sir Francis Drake, know that you will be well taken care of. Their amenities go above and beyond standard hotel offerings. Along with fitness center privileges and luxury bath products, they also host a daily social hour consisting of cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, they have complimentary bicycles for your use during your stay and yoga mats in every room. If you’re an IHG rewards club member, you also get a $30 credit towards in-room spa services, complimentary high-speed WiFi access and a $10 bar credit for IHG elite members.