casse-croute: st tropez in the mountains

I can't believe it's already July (seventh!). All sense of time (and reality) really disappears during vacation, doesn't it? I hope you had a great Fourth of July. I didn't have a typical stars-n-stripes themed weekend, but spent an equally spectacular five days in Breckenridge for a friend's Independence Day wedding. I've been to the small mountain town before, but didn't appreciate its charm as fully as I did this time. An eclectic mix of restaurants, bars and shops (wine & cheese pantries, olive oil tasting rooms, a candy factory, a cannabis club) line Main Street, parallel to the Blue River, making it really easy to navigate the area. Everything has a very rustic, quaint look and feel. Now that I've been twice in July, I HAVE to schedule my next trip during ski season—nothing better than hanging out in a cozy bar after a day on the slopes—and as beautiful as the scenery was, lit in summer sun, I'm sure it is even more idyllic draped in white. Apart from the ceremony and related activities (more on that this week!), here's the highlight reel: pecan-crusted red trout at Relish, a scenic bike ride to Frisco, and a fun little birthday bash for my friend, in from Arizona, at popular Mexican joint Mi Casa. But the point of the trip was the wedding and because I was a bridesmaid, I had planned to get a light airbrush tan. But my work and travel schedule leading up to the flight west really didn't leave time for the tanning salon—and I always dread the shock of a ten-minute transformation from Casper to Malibu Barbie. Conveniently, I'd earned a St. Tropez sample assortment from Sephora's rewards program several weeks earlier. I started using the Everyday Gradual Tan for Body a few days before leaving for Colorado, applying the white lotion to my arms and decolletage before bed (it's actually a body moisturizer enhanced with self-tanner—less intimidating and easier to apply than full-strength bronzing formulas). There was no unpleasant odor and it dried in minutes without any stickiness. My skin was brighter immediately, the bronze color built each day, and by the Friday ceremony I had a really natural glow. Not something a stranger would necessarily notice on the street, but a healthy color that looks good in pictures. Now that my sample size is gone, I'm definitely going back for the full-size bottle. Snag one before the next wedding on your calendar—or just next weekend. It's great for every day and I plan to use it regularly, regardless of social schedule. And if you want a little color on your face, try this (I mix it with my regular moisturizer because it's a stronger bronzer than the Gradual Tan lotion) or shop all St Tropez products here. Now that you've got some sun-kissed skin coming your way, enjoy some snaps from the weekend (and see more here)!