No tropical souvenirs for this girl! New minimalist me didn’t flinch at the lady pedaling wraps and hair braids. Nary did a muscle in my trigger finger twitch at the thought of a purse braided from palm leaves. In fact, my only purchases were hand crafted pina coladas from the one man coconut stand on the beach in front of the resort. They were delicious, made from real pineapple, blended with cracked coconut and dark rum, plus you got to keep the coconut – a keepsake Bahamian ant farm for the kids. I also bought several  dozen artisan pina coladas from the Daquiri Shack across the street. No big deal, only $6 each, made from only the freshest ingredients and SO much better than the powder mix frozen drinks they served on the all-inclusive package.

Like the perfect pina colada, there is an ART to finding the ultimate nude wedge sandal. They must be just the right height, with no unnecessary foot hug. Ankle straps are out because we all know those make short girls look stumpy. The perfect nude wedge should be dressy enough to wear to work and yet substantial enough to anchor a bikini (you know, for Vegas those all- important bikini with wedge situations). Surprisingly, cost isn’t a determining factor – $525 Prada wedges can go south as quickly as a $39 Seychelles varietal can make an entire pool season. The funny thing is that I never remember the four pairs residing in my closet until I bring a new one home. Blame it on the rum.

My travel outfit was a seasonal hodgepodge of not-new resort wear, anchored by the wedge du jour. Very happy I opted to wear the skinny white jeans before a week at the buffet. 

Easy on the rum, son

The wedges between us

Outfit details: Old Navy star print chambray shirt (2014); Lulu’s orange ikat wrap (2014); Seven for all Mankind white jeans (2012); Kate Spade perfect gold wedges (2014); Coach Legacy purple tassel crossbody (2012); Original Penguin straw fedora; Chloe Havana sunglasses