Sundresses! How to Choose Them

When you think of sundresses you also imagine the sand running through your toes, the waves splashing in relaxing rhythm, seagulls cawing, and the warm breeze brushing your sundress against your tanned legs. Lightweight, flowing summer dresses are the idealized vision of summer attire. When the weather heats up, say goodbye to pant suits and sweaters. It’s time to pack away your winter wardrobe and bring out the sundresses! But, with so many fashionable designs to choose from, adding new selections to your summer wardrobe can prove to be a daunting task. Begin narrowing down your choices by envisioning your perfect day in the dress.

Women expecting to spend time in the office will likely need a more modest cut than those planning to enjoy most of the day sunbathing on their favorite sandy beach. Necklines can range from plunging V-necks to a humble t-shirt cut. Sundresses have generally walked the line between full sun-exposure and modesty, and they continue to do so elegantly. It is possible to have the best of both worlds by purchasing a lightweight jacket (unlined silk is a perfect fabric for hot summer days) that can be thrown on at the office and hidden away after punching the time clock at the end of the day.

Hemlines are another thing to consider. To choose a hemline, it is important to know where the dress will be most frequently worn. Mini-skirt hemlines are an absolute no-no in the office, and though floor-length styles may be fashionable, they do not exude a businesslike personality. Office worthy lengths will generally be found between mid-calf and mid-thigh. For more casual dress, any length and style of hemline is available. On the beach, even floor-length summer dresses can sustain the cooling sensation of a light wind, so comfort is never sacrificed for preference.

With their loose-fitting, lightweight fabric, many sundresses come in just one-size. However, there are some styles that have been designed for a more full-figured woman. Plus size sundresses are cut to accentuate the most flattering features of a curvaceous woman without altering the flowing comfort and femininity of a standard size dress.


Accessories can also give one simple dress numerous ways to be worn. Belts, scarves, and cardigans are great additions to an already gorgeous ensemble.

Express your femininity this summer by dawning your favorite designs, no matter if you’re stuck in the workplace or reading your favorite guilty pleasure by the waves. Flirty sundresses with short hemlines are perfect for a day at the beach with friends. Reserved, mid-calf length summer dresses worn with an extra layer are both professional and breathable. No matter which style you choose, it will be a comfortable, cooling solution to a hot, sticky day.

Article by Art Fashionista
For all your resort wear needs shop Avenue Verde

Take Pleasure From Resort Wear All Year Long

Season-less dressing isn’t just a new trend in retail or a fashion buzz term designed to sell us resort wear collections. Resort wear is a specialized clothing style, as well as a year-round fashion “season”. Sometimes known as “cruise wear”. It was originally marketed by high end stores and collections only to very affluent customers who were expected to spend the post-Christmas/New Year’s weeks in warm-weather climates.

Resort wear is very easy to carry and comfortable. Not only in India, but people across the globe love wearing it. I believe for outings or weekends the fashion conscious lot are updating their racks with resort wear; the key factor is to flaunt something very different and easy going. People generally avoid the fitted and heavy clothes. ‘Resort Wear’ is defined as a year round fashion wear, which is easy to wear and caters to warmer climates globally.

Contrary to the belief that Resort Wear is beachwear, the style encompasses a variety of apparels from kaftans to evening dresses for women and comfortable, lightweight shirts, trousers and jackets, for men. Unique in its design, it is generally made from linens, cotton, silk, denim and microfibers.
Simple, feminine, classy, and in keeping with the designer’s aesthetics and identity, the resort wear line comprises of daily wears that are casual and functional yet dressy. Popular designers are adopting fashion’s current love affair with clean lines and minimalist looks, the color palette includes lots of whites, black and nude with some red, shocking pink, bright yellow and coral. Resort Wear goes beyond the notion of attire for vacationing in St. Tropez, Ibiza and Cannes. It is anchored with designs for the urban fashion set who live and work in Dubai, Mumbai, New York, Paris and Hong Kong.

Resort wear appropriate for men and women are ‘country club’ type clothing. Since the invitation is for dinner, then evening resort attire for men would be nice slacks, polo shirts, button down shirts, nice shoes or sandals, with the option of donning a sport coat. For women: nice pants, skirts, skorts, casual dress, nice top, sundress, nice sandals or casual shoes. The length of the skirt or dress is knee length or longer. Come to think of it, resort wear with its diversity in fabrics, silhouettes and textures and its tendency to be less “designed” than fall and spring collections, encapsulates exactly what modern garments needs to be for me to spend my money and the earth’s valuable resources on.

Resort wear is a fashion for summer and vacation destinations. Think nautical style, with light blues, greens, yellows and whites, and Mediterranean, Caribbean and South American flavors and Hawaiian prints. Accessories run to floppy hats, open-toed shoes and sunny styles. What I personally like about resort wear is that it’s fun-wear. The colors are bright, exuding happiness. The styles are classic, exuding elegance. The prints and patterns are chic, exuding a lot of trendiness. Overall, it’s an amazing way to dress when you’re heading anywhere on a trip with a lot of sun! So if you have a vacation planned soon, stock up!

You’re never going to have too much fantastic resort wear alternatives to pick from and take it easy in.

Article by Diana Moore

Top Ten Largest Las Vegas Resorts

Las Vegas is hands down one of the most visited cities in the United States. Tourists everywhere flock to the city of lights, fun and gambling all times of the year for an unforgettable experience. The many high-end casinos and resorts have painted a picture of Las Vegas that keeps its standards high. The following numbers are evidence of such.


Las Vegas now has a total hotel room inventory of over 148,000 according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The ten largest resorts based on number of available rooms are all located on the Strip and collectively offer nearly 40,000 rooms. The following lists the ten largest Las Vegas resorts in descending order of rank ( based on number of guest rooms).

1. MGM Grand 5034

2. Luxor 4405

3. Mandalay Bay 4328

4. Venetian 4027

5. Aria 4004

6. Excalibur 3991

7. Bellagio 3933

8. Circus Circus 3767

9. Flamingo 3545

10. Caesars Palace 3348

Las Vegas currently boasts 14 of the world's 20 largest hotels. MGM Grand is number one in Vegas but ranks third worldwide. The largest hotel in the world is the Izmailovo Hotel in Moscow with 7500 rooms.

Whether you're planning on staying in one of these sure-to-be schnazzy resorts or one of the other many, you'll be in need of a vacation wardrobe to keep you fitting right in. To stock up your suitcase before jetting off shop Avenue Verde


Article by: Charles Higgins
Photo courtesy of Wiki Commons GNU Free Documentation license

One Bag Vacation? An Expert Packs It In

For nearly 15 years Jim Mercer has been performing his amazing vanishing act for live audiences.They come to see for themselves how he can make an entire vacation's worth of clothing disappear inside a single medium suitcase.

Jim Mercer, a travel concierge at Rooten's Travel Center in Irvine, teaches how to pack two weeks worth of clothing into a 22-inch suitcase. He says the methods shown can also be used for a more carry-on friendly 20-inch suitcase. All clothing is expected to be washed once using his methods. Apparently, with ease.

As a mother who for eight years never left the house without two bags, three pieces of equipment and at least one child, I appreciate traveling light.

Haven't you longed to be the jet-setter who carries one small bag that miraculously holds everything? A bag so light it leaves one hand free to toss your hair behind your shoulder?

Mercer, a travel concierge at Rooten's Travel Center in Irvine, notes this is a relatively recent travel fantasy.

"We used to encourage over-packing. Getting you to buy a five-piece set of luggage to take over to Europe, those were the good old days."

Thanks to baggage fees and weight restrictions, less is more has become the new standard of excellence. These days travel has become less glamorous and more casual, and Mercer has adjusted his presentation accordingly. When it comes to packing you can't take it all with you, but he believes that with efficiency you can take what really matters.

For starters, the luggage you lug has changed.

Four-wheeled suitcases have been replaced by two wheels and a pull-up handle. Cases have gotten lighter, shifting from plastics to polycarbonates. Now Mercer notices they are getting larger again.

If you can only check 50 pounds, he says choose a bag that weighs 15 pounds or less when it's empty.
Mercer, 50, sounds like a parent sending a child to the first day of school. Roll your eyes, but it's advisable to listen to his advice.

He preaches the gospel of essentials and versatility.

"If you travel to get away," he asks, "why take it all with you?"

His advice is to start making a pile, a month before the trip, of everything you absolutely have to pack. Then, the day you pack, put half of it back into the closet.

"Half the stuff we typically take on a trip we don't need."

Clearly, Mercer is the kind of guy who would actually prune his garden.

In his demonstration he starts with the carry on, listing item-by-item the things a traveler needs in a bag that will fit under the seat.

Then he moves on to the mother lode: one checked, 22-inch suitcase for an entire vacation.

The litmus test: "How many times can I get this to work for me on my trip? If it's only once, the likelihood is that you really don't need it."

That means no more than three pairs of shoes and a wardrobe of versatile neutrals including bottoms that each match two tops and can be worn at least twice.The real estate inside your suitcase is more valuable than waterfront property: There's not much, so fill it carefully.

Mercer is a fan of rolling clothes before packing and using a modular packing system. He touts cubes and folders and kits as ways to fit more in and as easier ways to take stuff out.

"If I took it all out of the packet organization, I could never get it all in there. It just doesn't fit ... A lot of people are very skeptical, until they start using it."

Mercer sure strikes a chord with me.

In the days when my home was a succession of apartments, I never wanted to buy a couch. Real furniture, I reasoned, was a harbinger of responsibilities I wasn't ready to assume.

Everywhere I would live, from then on, I would have to take along that couch.

Couches and suitcases are not exactly a metaphor for life, but both definitely make it harder to move.

As a travel concierge, Mercer does much more than sell luggage.

"I take customers through the process: What do they need for the intricacies of this trip? It's more problem solving."

There's no hard sell here, but it's easy to be dazzled by the array of accessories – like a compression bag to suck the air out of your sweaters or compression socks to improve blood circulation on a plane.

He notes that the Orange County traveler is fairly sophisticated. We tend to take longer trips with itineraries that combine several destinations. He sees a number of grandparents taking grandchildren on an adventure. Security has also become a far bigger concern. Years ago Mercer didn't always discuss it, but now it's his first topic.

He covers the global threats, from pickpockets to security screening. If you're planning to travel abroad, then the details of TSA locks and passports will enthrall. A group dynamic takes hold as audience members share their own insider tips.

Who knew, for example, that the chemicals used in dry cleaning can register as explosives if you pack your clothes inside that same plastic bag? Who knew someone standing across the street can scan and read the chip embedded in your passport or credit card?

As for Mercer himself, well, he grabbed a bag and traveled a lot in his younger years. Now he's more partial to cruises – less unpacking.

For women's resort wear shop Avenue Verde
Article by Teryl Zarnow

Cool Down With A Hot Summer Dress

Although the worst is over, the memory of last week's heat wave has us clinging to our shorts, flip-flops, and ice-cold bottles of water. On days when it would be most comfortable to forgo clothing altogether, what is the first item you reach for before heading into the sauna? For many women, that item is the sundress.

Long a staple of every woman's wardrobe, sundresses are the ultimate in comfort on a hot, sticky day. I'm convinced that the worst thing about being a man is that it is socially unacceptable to don one, although I wouldn't judge a fellow for wearing one when the temps soar above 90.



Unlike stifling pants, shorts that ride up and skirts that cling to the hips, sundresses are easy to throw on and require little in the way of accessorizing. If you are planning on eventually heading into an air-conditioned climate, a light sweater might be helpful, but nothing more is necessary. Any kind of footwear is appropriate to wear with a casual dress, from flip flops to flats. Best of all, there are tons of different styles at shops that cater to any budget.

This year there have been a few interesting dress trends. Most notably, the maxi dress has made a huge splash and I’ve seen women of all shapes and sizes pull this look off effortlessly. You would think only tall, slender women could manage this silhouette, but as long as the dress has a good fit, the maxi can flatter all body types. Since maxis were floating around last spring and summer, checking Main Street consignment shops like Greene Street and The Attic would be a good place to start if you’re on the fence about a maxi.

Another adventurous style for summer is the cutout dress. Catch a breeze on your back or sides with a frock that exposes a little skin in a subtle way. Beware of tan lines, though - I wouldn’t recommend wearing one of these without generous amounts of sunscreen. But worn casually, the cutout dress keeps bodies cool and a little flirty - a great look for a first date.

When in doubt, the tried and true easy summer sundress is a no-fail choice for almost any event. Throw a blazer over a dress for work, add a fun vest to a concert outfit, or a pair of sparkly earrings and heels for a night out. Sundresses cannot be given enough praise. They are flattering, versatile, and most importantly, comfortable during these sweltering summer weeks. Next time you’re tempted to wear a bikini to work, try the next best thing.

Article By Erin Brodbeck


Photo: Dottie-3 colors by Leslie Evers from Avenue Verde

7 Resorts With Spectacular Views

A pool sounds good, a great decor is pleasant, but one of the nicest amenities a vacation destination can offer is a room with a view.

Travel agents say it's the feature clients ask about most when booking a dream getaway.


"Everyone aspires to have the best view in the house," said Terry McCabe, national director of leisure for Altour.
"For some people, the [most important] experience is opening the drapes in the morning and looking at nature at its best. ... It takes people out of their everyday life."

With that in mind, we're taking you around the world to seven hotels where spectacular vistas rule.
Just remember that with so many beautiful places dotting the globe, this list is just a small taste of the stunning views travelers can wake up to.

1. Jade Mountain, St. Lucia

There is literally nothing blocking your view of St. Lucia's famous Piton Mountains and the Caribbean Sea at this resort.
The fourth wall is entirely absent from Jade Mountain's suites, which the hotel calls "sanctuaries," so guests get unobstructed panoramas of the beautiful surroundings.

Each sanctuary also comes with its own infinity pool for the ultimate in privacy and relaxation.

"It's total luxury, and it's a great romantic spot. You can be as alone as you want there," McCabe said.

But be prepared to completely unplug during your stay.

Jade Mountain is "deliberately techno-free," the resort says. There are no telephones, radios or televisions in the rooms, and guests are asked to not to use their cell phones in public. Internet access is available at reception "for those who simply cannot let go of the outside world."

Rates start at $950 a night.

2. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Canada

Experience this magical corner of Banff National Park, and you may feel like explorer Thomas Wilson, who exclaimed, "I never in all my explorations saw such a matchless scene,'' when he first glimpsed the lake in 1882.

Known to native tribes as "lake of little fishes," the majestic body of water was dubbed Emerald Lake by Wilson, and later renamed Lake Louise in honor of Queen Victoria's fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta.

"It's just so beautiful," said Becky Veith of Travel Experts. "The view is incredible."

The hotel offers sweeping panoramas of the lake and the surrounding Canadian Rockies. Come in the winter for unforgettable skiing, sleigh rides and dog sledding -- Veith was there when the lake was frozen, and she had a chance to skate on the icy surface.

There's also lots to do in the summer, including hiking, horseback riding and canoeing.

Rates start at about $358 a night for the Sizzling Summer Travel Package, which is in effect until September 30.

3. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania

This luxury lodge sits perched on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, the world's largest caldera -- formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed about 3 million years ago.

Thousands of animals roam the floor of the crater, including lions, wildebeests, zebras and gazelles. The stunning landscape and abundance of wildlife prompted UNESCO to declare the area a World Heritage Site, calling it one of the greatest natural wonders of the planet.

"You can be in your room and look out the window and there's a zebra walking by. It's just amazing," McCabe said.
"Everything is down there, and you're almost looking back at creation in a way. You feel a little bit like it's the Garden of Eden, like you're the first person to ever see this."

The accommodations are luxurious, imaginative and fanciful, she said.

Rates start at $720 per person, which includes meals, drinks and scheduled safari activities.

4. The Springs Resort & Spa, Costa Rica

For a bit of a thrill with your beautiful view, why not stay near a volcano?

This boutique hotel sits on a mountain ridge less than four miles north of Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano but is "safely outside the government declared danger zone," the resort says on its website.

"When I was there, it didn't blow, I was really bummed," Veith said. "[But] you can see the eruptions when the lava is flowing from the volcano."

(Arenal was Costa Rica's most active volcano until 2010 but entered into a resting phase last fall.)

Observe the volcano from your room or from one of the resort's 18 pools and natural hot mineral springs.

Rates start at about $385 a night.

5. Hotel Villa Ducale, Sicily

This boutique hotel features just 11 double rooms and six suites, but there is nothing small about the sweeping views.
Each room has a private balcony or terrace that lets guests take in vistas of Giardini Naxos Bay, Mount Etna, Italy's mainland coastline or the Strait of Messina.

The Hotel Villa Ducale was among the winners of TripAdvisor's 2011 Travelers' Choice awards -- chosen by the site's members as one of the top 10 luxury hotels in the world.

Rates start at about $285 a night in September.

6. The Cambrian Hotel, Switzerland

Expect endless mountain views from this picturesque location in the village of Adelboden in the Swiss Alps.
Built in the late 19th century and revamped in recent years, the hotel is a scenic and luxurious base for hiking and mountain biking in the summer, and world-class skiing in the winter.

And when it comes to promising relaxation for guests, the resort takes a whimsical approach.

"Just look at the cows reclining in the meadows outside," the hotel instructs on its website. "They don't look stressed, do they?"
Rates start at about $225 in September.

7. Hayman Island Resort, Australia

A favorite with honeymooners, this five-star resort is on a private island within the Great Barrier Reef.

Guests can take in uninterrupted views of the Coral Sea and the Whitsundays -- a chain of islands known for their idyllic white sand beaches.

Then there are the underwater vistas -- Hayman offers memorable snorkeling and scuba experiences, as well as night diving on the Great Barrier Reef.

The famous resort, which made the list of Travel Leisure's best island hotels, is reopening in August after recovering from two cyclones that swept through the region earlier this year.

Rates start at about $510 a night.

For resort-wear shop Avenue Verde

Article By A. Pawlowski, CNN

Five (And Then Some) Tech Tips for Travel

In the big airports, you sometimes see three different lanes for the X-ray machines. They’re marked by a black diamond (expert travelers who know the routine and have their laptops out and shoes off), blue square (casual travelers) and green circle (families and people who need extra help).

I have no idea if that self-selecting system actually lets anyone get through the lines faster. But it occurred to me that if there were such a thing as a black-diamond lane for technology, I’m probably in it.



I’ve been racking up about 70 round-trip flights a year, so I know this space pretty well. I’ve got the tech part of it down to a science. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way—tips for maximum flying efficiency and minimum misery.

1. Use TripIt.com. Tripit is this amazing, free Web site. Every time you book a flight, hotel or car rental online, you forward the e-mail confirmation to plans@tripit.com. Magically, the service parses the confirmation e-mail and records all of the details: confirmation numbers, times, dates, flight numbers and so on.

Best part: You can subscribe to your own Tripit feed, meaning that your computer or cellphone calendar will record those flight details automatically. If you’re still typing your flights and travel details into your computer calendar or phone by hand, you’re wasting a lot of time.

2. Use FlightTrack Pro. This app ($10), for iPhone, iPad or Android, is amazing. It shows every detail of every flight: gate, time delayed, airline phone number, where the flight is on the map, and more. It knows more, and knows it sooner, than the actual airlines do.

Or more than they’ll admit. For example, for any flight, one tap shows you its on-time record. You’d be shocked at how rarely certain flights take off or land on time.

(I’ll never forget the time FlightTrack asserted that my flight would be departing 55 minutes late—even as the flight was boarding! I sat there defiantly in my seat in the gate area, working on my laptop. I was confidently putting my trust into FlightTrack’s information, even as the last rows were called for boarding. Just when my nerves couldn’t take anymore, sure enough: people started pouring back off the plane. The gate agents had finally gotten word of the delay, and everybody had to get off and wait 55 minutes, just as my app had foretold.)

Best part: it auto-syncs with Tripit.com. Once again, you’re spared having to do any manual data entry at all.

3. Check in from your phone. For a long time, I wondered why every airline had an iPhone or Android app for checking in. Is displaying a barcode on your phone really so much better than clutching the little boarding pass paper printed out by the kiosk at the airport?

(Frankly, I don’t even understand the premise of checking in when you’re still at home. If you can check in before you’re actually at the airport, why can’t you check in at the time you buy your ticket, and be done with it? It’s usually nonrefundable, so what does the airline have to lose?)

Anyway, I finally tried it. The Delta app is the best of the bunch. You open the app—the day before your flight, for example, or even on the way to the airport—and it automatically shows the flight you’re about to take. It’s much smarter than most airline kiosks, which make you manually enter your flight information before printing out your boarding pass. (Shouldn’t the computer know what my next flight is on that airline?)

In the Delta app, you tap the flight, tap Check In, and presto: it displays your “boarding pass” in the form of a big black-and-white QR code (a newfangled barcode). On that same screen, conveniently enough, is your gate number, seat number, seating zone—even Delta’s customer-service hotline.

Other airlines have similar apps, but none as fluid or beautifully designed. Continental’s app, for example, makes you re-enter your frequent flyer number every time you check in for a flight. (Hey Continental, guess what? My frequent flyer number hasn’t changed since last time!)

No matter which airline’s app you’re using, you handle your phone just as you’d handle the boarding pass. For example, you show it to the security person who monitors the entrance to the security line. When you get to the actual T.S.A. rep who checks your ID and boarding pass, you put your phone face down on a little glass scanner at the rep’s little desk, and you’re ushered right on through. Kind of amazing, really.
Anyway, I’ve discovered several advantages to checking in with your phone. First, there’s little chance that you’ll lose your boarding pass. Second, you’re saving paper and trash.

Third, some airlines, like Delta and United, automatically reassign you to first class if you’re a frequent flyer and if there’s room. In my experience, checking in early, using your phone, gives you a better chance of snagging one of those free upgrades. You’re ahead of all those people who don’t check in till they get to the airport.

4. Use Kayak and FlightAware. I should also mention my two other favorite travel apps.

Kayak (free for iPhone and Android) offers a beautiful, fast app for searching flights—all airlines. It doesn’t sell tickets, just helps you find out what flights are available. I love the Time filter: you can drag a slider to narrow down the hours of takeoff or landing that you’d consider.

FlightAware.com tracks a flight’s progress. (Similar: The Flightwise app for iPhone or Android.) This isn’t necessarily a benefit to you, the traveler—but if you’re the one who’s supposed to pick up somebody at the airport, it’s a must. You’ll see exactly where that plane is (on a map), and exactly when it will be landing.

5. Know which flights are laptop-friendly. There are now about 1,100 planes in the United States that offer Gogo’s inflight Wi-Fi ($13 cross country, smaller amounts for shorter flights, $40 monthly unlimited). You’ll find them, usually on cross-country flights, on Alaska Airlines, American, Virgin, Delta, Frontier, US Airways and United.

You can use SeatGuru.com to find out if your flight will offer Wi-Fi and power outlets. Most important of all, it tells you how cramped your seat will be compared with other airlines (click “Comparison Charts”).

The airlines that offer power outlets in coach are Virgin (always) and American and Continental (sometimes).

Other black-diamond traveler tips, based on my experiences: Delta recycles all cups and cans from the beverage service, and donates the recycling proceeds to Habitat for Humanity.

Continental charges $7 to watch its in-flight TV on cross-country flights. And its exit-row seats don’t recline.

Virgin has free seat-back TV, very cool lighting and music, and a touch screen that lets you order a drink or a snack at any time during the flight.

United and Continental are supposedly merging, but in the meantime, they’re completely bungling the integration. You might buy a Continental ticket, but arrive at the wrong terminal at the airport because it’s actually a United flight—or vice versa.

There we go, folks: my black-diamond frequent-flyer brain dump. Fill in the gaps in my knowledge in the Comments, will you?

Article by David Pogue , Image by Travel Agent Central