Into Independence

Lately I feel like this crazy, beautiful life has kept me busy to say the least. I feel like I didn't realize how busy things were until my best friend tried to plan something with me 2 weeks in advance and I already had prior obligations.That's the way things have been for at least the past month and a half. Work, school, and the weekend is filled up with all sorts of activities. I've been lucky to squeeze in a tennis match honestly. When the City of Independence reached out to me for an influencer visit I was shocked when I looked at my calendar and I didn't have anything going on. I was ecstatic. A stay-cation away from class and work to head to Independence, MO (only 35 min from me) was exactly what I needed.

I was lucky to stay in the Stony Creek Hotel & Conference Center. Its a large and super nice conference center, with a gift shop! I finally had a chance to catch up on Vogue. I am obsessed with April's issue. Seeing two Asian women on the cover was truly life changing. Its crazy to think that I have never seen a cover like that my entire life. Its refreshing to see Asian women up front and center, especially seeing Deepika Padukone someone who I have admired for a very long time. She's so adorable in her 73 Questions interview. 

I only stayed for 2 nights and restricted myself from taking my entire makeup bag... I know it doesn't look like it with this giant Kate Spade bag, but here's a glimpse into what I brought. I know I've done a post on the Naked Cherry palette but I just want to iterate how impressed I am with this palette and the payoff. 

You may know Independence as the hometown of the 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman. Besides that truthfully I didn't know much about Independence. It is home to tons of local restaurants and a few great museums/estates. Overall Independence has a very lax and hometown kind of feel. The weather was in the upper 70s so I packed a mix of light clothes that I could layer if the weather took a turn for the chilly side.

The first night of my trip the City of Independence threw us a little party at a cute brewery called 3 Trails Brewing. As many of you know I don't drink so I just had my usual Sprite. There was lots of food including mini quesadillas, which were delightful. After a long Friday I was starved and very grateful they had all this food for us. What I loved most about the brewery was that there was a little hidden art gallery behind the brewery with local art.

 

On Friday I wore one of my all-time favorite dresses.This Free People Jasper Midi Dress with birks.

The second day of my trip was jam packed with activities. First was finding coffee which I found on my way to the Vaile Victorian Mansion. I have always been obsessed with Victorian style homes so seeing this 31-room mansion was a must.

I wanted to bring out another favorite outfit to Vaile Mansion. My Anthropologie Remy Jumpsuit. A great way to make a jumpsuit go from night to day is to layer a t-shirt under it.

This mansion was everything I hoped for. From the beautifully kept grounds, antique china, and lilac bushes everywhere to the quirky antiques sold on the second floor.




I could see myself coming back here and just reading outside. There are so many beautiful blooms to enjoy. Big smiles for all the beautiful lilacs. KC friends there is a Strawberry Festival in June that you have to attend!

The Independence Farmer's Market was a short drive from Vaile Victorian Mansion so I had to stop by. There was tons of plants, candles, jams, and homemade desserts. How I didn't leave without 6 candles and 2 pies is beyond me.

After the Farmer's Market I had lunch at Ophelia's originally a hardwore store/drugstore (yes a real life Luke's). Ophelia's has eclectic American food which is very refreshing and unique. The atmosphere was cozy and I enjoyed a Twisted Quesadilla.

After lunch I spent a good deal of time exploring the Independence City Square. I even made a cute friend named Truman! There was tons of cute shops from fudge to ice cream.

I have also been wanting to visit Clinton's Soda Fountain for some time now. I've never seen a real Soda Fountain. Plus young Harry S. Truman worked here, how cool is that? This place was packed when I got here so I didn't get to spend as much time as I would've liked. Not the worst thing because I can look forward to visiting this Soda Fountain again !

After a fun day of exploring I went back to the hotel and winded down. I am the Maid of Honor in my best friend's wedding and have been looking for a dress. I feel like picking a dress for a wedding is so much harder than being told to just wear a dress. However sustainability is so important to me making sure that I find a dress that I will wear for a long time and one that will evoke such strong emotions in the future is a worthy challenge.

For dinner I stopped by Los Cabos - Mexican Grill & Cantina for some shrimp tacos. My taco shells broke into pieces =( but they were still good.

Overall I had a much needed relaxing time in Independence. I spent two whole days away from supply chain management, work, and grad school which was great. It was a great time to relax and unwind. Independence is a great place for a romantic visit or a girls weekend of exploring. Ice cream everyday is a must!

Where do you stay-cation?!

This post is sponsored by Visit Independence. All opinions are always my own.

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