Just in time for the holidays, The Red Door invited me to their spa at the Mystic Marriott in Groton, CT to try out a Signature Mani/Pedi. The Red Door offers everything from facials, massage and body treatments to nail care, hair design, make up artistry and more.  I had previously visited this location for a massage and was eager to see if this second visit would keep up the high standards of my first. It did not disappoint!

It has been quite a while since I've gone for a professional manicure and pedicure and this made me remember how much I enjoy them. Normally I paint my own nails and it's not as fun. I have to remove my old polish, try to smooth out my nails, put on the new nail polish and hope I don't smudge them before they dry. It's become such a chore so being able to enjoy having my nails done was a nice change.

The Red Door's Signature Mani/Pedi includes their signature luxurious exfoliation with Olive Oil Salt Scrub and a warm cream reflexology inspired massage with their Signature Luxurious Body Cream. In between each step my legs (and arms) were sprayed with a bit of Red Door's Olive Oil Moisturizing Body Spray. You also get a warm neck pillow to help relax even more.

The warm neck pillow and getting the Salt Scrub massaged into my legs

One of my favorite parts of going to get my nails done is mini massages. At cheap nail salons you just get a quick hand and foot massage, but at The Red Door massages are extended to the elbow and knee for extra pampering. They also include a customized essential oil foot bath. Finish off with a paraffin treatment and you're good to go with softer hands and feet complete with perfectly polished nails. My technician Kristin also used an Ultra Healing Body Balm to really seal in the moisture. It's been 3 days since my appointment and my feet are still as soft as a baby's bottom.

This was 100x better than any other mani/pedi I've received. Kristin did an amazing job and made sure I was comfortable (and hydrated!) throughout the process. I'm not the best at small talk but she made it very easy. We gabbed about Christmas cookies, meals and other fun stuff. ;)

The final product with Kimono Over and Limited Addiction (they looked so great I had to buy them!)

You can book your own appointment via The Red Door website. And, since we're in the last couple weeks before Christmas, head to their gift page where you can purchase a gift card (in a dollar amount,) a gift certificate (for a specific service) or a Red Door membership for everyone on your list! Be sure to check out their current promotions as well!

Gift cards and serviecs list

More photos from my day at the spa are below!

Entrance to the spa with, what else, a Red Door!

Pedicure area

Letting the paraffin wax work it's magic

Getting Kimono Over painted on my toes

Those are REAL roses and they have been there since October - insanity!

The relaxation room, complete with blankets since it's Winter.

Hydrating with water while letting my nails dry in the relaxation room

All done, and very happy!

Fact: I'm obsessed with rings. As I'm sure you've noticed, I ALWAYS have rings on my fingers. I just load 'em on like Phoebe in Friends. I'm always on the hunt for new silver rings to add to my collection.  My latest find is a Larimar Bliss Stone ring. Larimar is a turquoise gemstone that can only be found in the Dominican Republic.

Many of you will also know I'm also a collector of large gemstones and their meanings (see some of them on Instagram: here, here, here) I don't fully believe in the powers stones have, but I do find that I'm drawn to certain stones and when I find out what they represent it's very fitting to my personality. Larimar is thought to have healing properties and assist with communication. For a SUPER shy person who's learning to come out of her shell more and more, this is a perfect stone.

For this post I let the ring speak for itself but soon it will be added to my plethora of daily rings. For that very reason I got larger than my usual size so I could wear it on a finger that doesn't already have a designated ring. Ha ha!

Dress: Cynthia Steffe 'Naomi' (Lord & Taylor), Heels: Lanvin (Roundabout Resale), Ring c/o Larimar Bliss

I'm a little (fashionably) late to this trend, but when Soma Footwear asked if I wanted to style a pair of their leather shoes I decided on these pom-pom sandals which have been everywhere this Summer! Better late than never, right? I considered a pair of their ADORABLE printed or beaded ballet flats but in the end I decided to keep Summer fun going a bit longer with the sandals. Each piece, like art, is exclusive and hand embroidered/hand sewed so you know what you're getting is special.

Soma has reinvented the traditional shoe to embody a mix of East and West fashion style identities, with special attention given to comfort and quality. They source high quality leather and have superior stitching by craftsmen who have been in this field for generations. Soma has pioneered the art of incorporating traditionally worn footwear into mainstream contemporary fashions with their vibrant colors, elegant curves, impeccable finish, and commitment to quality.

When these arrived one of the tassels on the ties had fallen off, luckily I was able to just snap it back on. I've found that they're prone to popping off, so you may want to reinforce with a dab of glue.  I might sew mine on to really prevent them from slipping. I'm also horrible at tying things, so forgive the poorly done knots, haha! I'll get better eventually!

Make sure to follow Soma on Instagram and use coupon code: SOMA10 at checkout for 10% off your order!

Paris Map Print Dress: Carven (Yoox), Pom-Pom Sandals c/o Soma, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs (Saks Fifth Avenue), Sunglasses: Jason Wu 'Brigitte' via Ditto Endless Eyewear

Love designer sunglasses but too fickle to pick just one pair? Have no fear! Endless Eyewear from Ditto is here! I've been a fan of Ditto for a couple years but had yet to try out their subscription program. One of my favorite things is their DITTO Tool. You take a video of your face turning from side to side so you can try on any of their sunglasses on your face! So cool.

I've been wanting to try their Endless Eyewear program for a while so when they contacted me about testing it out for a few months my answer was easy! The program is super simple: pick a pair of sunglasses, wear them as long as you want then swap for a new pair! Shipping is free and you have unlimited swaps. Don't worry if you get a tiny scratch, your subscription includes insurance if there are any mishaps.

At $24 per month for sunglasses and $34 for prescriptions how can you go wrong? If you like the pair you're currently testing out you can purchase for 15% off. Sign up for Endless Eyewear with code CLOSETFASHIONENDLESSDITTO to get your first month FREE!

Normally I go for classic styles but since there was no pressure to keep them I decided to try out a "wacky" pair by Miu Miu for my first pick! I might try these fun Selima Optique's next, or maybe this Ray-Ban pair.

Top: Highline Collective (Lord & Taylor), Pants: Proenza Schouler (Yoox, also here), Ancient Greek Sandals 'Alethea' (bought in Santorini), Bag: Chanel (Madison Avenue Couture), Sunglasses: Miu Miu via Ditto Endless Eyewear



And Lydia and I coordinated by accident so we had to take a photo together:

Are you a shoes or bag girl? Most people are one or the other. While I do skew more toward shoes I love a well-made handbag. (Ex: my Chanel and Emm Kuo splurges) I'm a huge Burberry fan and have a couple pairs of shoes by the brand, what I need next is a Burberry handbag! I'm not talking about the iconic Burberry plaid, I'd go for one of the more unique bags.

Sadly the ones I like are a bit expensive, but thanks to Lyst I can keep an eye on pieces I like and find out when they go on sale.  With Lyst you can follow your favorite brands and people to be the first to see the latest looks and lyst items you love to receive sale and stock alerts. I have emails set up for certain brands and items, which is a bad idea for my wallet but great for finding out when my favorite things are back in stock or go on sale.

I'm a big fan of brighter bags because they go with everything. So as you can see there's a bright purple Burberry bag below!

Other items: Coach sunglasses, Bing Bang ring, Lana Jewelry necklace, Ancient Greek Sandals 'Clio', Chloe camera bag, Sophie Hulme bag charm

I was recently given the opportunity to visit The Red Door spa at the Mystic Marriott in Groton, CT to try out their 50 Minute Signature Massage. The official description for the massage is: This guest favorite incorporates essences of shea butter cream, facial acupressure and foot reflexology for head to toe balance and relaxation.

The Red Door offers everything from facials, massage and body treatments to nail care, hair design, make up artistry and more. I will definitely look forward to trying some of their other services in the future. The moment you walk in the spa the relaxation begins. 


I was a little nervous since I've only ever received massages from my Aunt in her home office (and once while on vacation in Santorini.) I was immediately put at ease upon entering The Red Door.  I arrived 30 minutes early, as the website suggests, to start relaxing before my massage.

You get a robe and sandals to start feeling fully pampered. Soft music also plays in all the rooms and there is complimentary water (and apples!) in the relaxation room. Little touches like this are always helpful when you need to unwind.


I have chronic back pain thanks to gymnastics so I get massages from my aunt once a month. I made sure to let my massage therapist Kat know about my back pain before we started so she knew to spend a little more time there. Kat explained the process of the massage before we began letting me know that she would be spraying an olive oil body spray before applying lotion for my massage. She also said that at different points in the massage heated towels would be applied, which was a great touch on my back, feet and neck.

She made sure to check up on me at different points during the massage to ask if the pressure was okay and if I was feeling any pain.  The massage started on my back, then we moved to arms, legs and feet all while laying on my stomach.  We ended that portion with a foot reflexology massage. After that I flipped over for some more arm and leg work followed by a short facial massage.  One of my favorite parts of the massage was the aromatherapy Kat put near the head cradle so while I breathed I had some lavender and other scents to help me relax even more.


You can book your own appointment via their website or if you want to gift someone one of their many services, head to their gift page where you can purchase a gift card (in a dollar amount,) a gift certificate (for a specific service) or a Red Door membership. Be sure to check out their current promotions as well!

A few more photos from the day.

Founded by day spa pioneer Elizabeth Arden, The Red Door offers award-winning signature services, enhanced specialty treatments and beauty and wellness recommendations, including everything from facials, massage and body treatments to nail care, hair design, make up artistry and more. Importantly, The Red Door provides guests with a unique and unforgettable experience, delivering the highest level of technical expertise and impeccable guest service. With the belief that beauty and wellness work in harmony to make lives better, The Red Door continues to expand, innovate and serve as a leader within the day spa industry.

We are just over a month away from Christmas (and very close to Hanukkah) so Christmas gift shopping is in full swing. I try not to do anything Christmasy until after Thanksgiving, but when you find the perfect gift for someone you have to buy it, whether it's June 3rd or December 24th.  I'm almost done with all my shopping but I do have a few more gifts to buy.

One gift that never goes out of style is jewelry. And when you can personalize your jewelry gift it's even better! Thanks to Onecklace you can find a ton of great personalized jewelry options for your loved ones! They sent me two great pieces to feature on the blog. First I chose an adorable silver heart midi ring that is going to be a permanent fixture on my hands (always on the hunt for cute silver rings, I can't get enough!) For my second piece I chose a personalized chevron birthstone necklace.

From name necklaces to birthstone jewelry you'll be able to find the perfect piece for everyone on your list. They carry very simple pieces, such as my chevron necklace and also have more intricate pieces like a family tree birthstone necklace (a great gift for mothers or grandmothers!) If you want to do some holiday shopping over at Onecklace, use code closet10 for 10% off!

Sweater: Ann Taylor c/o Tanger, Skirt: Vince Camuto (Lord & Taylor), Heels: Prada (The RealReal)