48: Chatham, Cape Cod. Where to stay and what to do?

There’s something special about New England summer vacations.

Growing up in another country, I watched countless movies and shows where affluent Americans showcased their quintessentially WASP-y style in Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. These places became synonymous with the American Dream in my mind. I aspired to look as effortlessly chic as the blonde women in Lilly Pulitzer dresses at garden parties and the petite brunettes in J.Crew striped sweaters and navy shorts on sailing boats with their preppy boyfriends.

Since I moved to New York 7 years ago, I have been fortunate enough to spend some summer weekends in the Hamptons, Kingston, and other beautiful parts of New York State. However, until this week, I had never been on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where I was determined to immerse myself in my "old money aesthetic" Pinterest board.

Invited to attend the opening of the newly renovated GREYFINCH INN in Chatham, I eagerly packed my best East Coast preppy casual outfits and took a short 38-minute flight from LGA to Hyannis airport, accompanied by my mom.

Upon landing, I was immediately struck by the lush greenery, fresh air, abundance of lakes and lighthouses, and the presence of generational wealth - a quiet luxury, as they call it these days.

It's no wonder that John Kennedy and Jackie loved to vacation on Cape Cod and maintained a gorgeous mansion here. Their love for this place has made it more popular since the '60s, and it remains one of the most expensive summer destinations in the US.

Fortunately, the GREYFINCH INN is relatively affordable for such a beautiful, luxurious property that has been completely renovated and offers all the comforts one could possibly need. It opened only at the end of June, but it's already in high demand by those who, like me, aren't fortunate enough to inherit a seaside home from their chic grandparents. You can check prices and book your stay HERE.

This is your chance to stay in a cozy, comfortable, and immaculately designed inn right on Main Street and explore the lovely nautical town of Chatham yourself!

The shops and restaurants are only a short walk or a 2-4 minute bike ride away, yet the inn itself is conveniently located in a quieter part of Main Street, providing everyone with a serene stay.

Our trip has been amazing, and I am delighted to share some tips on what to do and where to eat in town.

Where to eat?

Wild Goose Tavern is hands down the best restaurant in Chatham, and we dined there twice. Every single dish was exceptional, and the service was incredible. On Friday night, we also enjoyed some live music there, which made the experience even more enjoyable!

Fish market

If you love fresh seafood, Cape Cod is the place to be. It's famous for its lobsters, clam chowder, a variety of grilled fish, clams, mussels, oysters, and much more. Not only can you savor the freshest seafood here, but you can also watch fishermen sorting their catch and feeding some leftovers to cheerful (and perpetually hungry) seals, who look like sea puppies bobbing in and out of the water.

Chatham Square

A local favorite and the heart of Chatham's social scene, Chatham Square restaurant is a great place to grab a quick casual lunch on the Main Street. As the sun sets, Chatham Square restaurant transforms into a vibrant hotspot, attracting the young and lively crowd in town.

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What to see?

Explore the quaint boutiques and art galleries lining Main Street. I never leave charming American vacation spots without a souvenir sweatshirt and some other little memento (an ornament or perhaps a book on the town’s history!)

My favorite store in Chatham is Yankee Ingenuity, which had one of the most unique and interesting gifts selection I have seen in a while! My mom and I left with a bag filled with jewelry and trinkets for our friends and ourselves.

No trip to Chatham is complete without a visit to the iconic Chatham Lighthouse Beach. Stroll along the sandy shores, feel the gentle sea breeze, and bask in the picturesque views of the lighthouse standing tall against the blue horizon. It's the perfect spot for a relaxing beach day or a memorable sunset picnic with your loved ones.

Check out my Instagram and immerse yourself in the picturesque moments of my Chatham escapade, on feed and in the "Cape Cod” Stories Highlight. Witness the enchanting opening of the Greyfinch Inn and experience the essence of New England's effortlessly chic style.

Get ready for some fabulous summer-to-early fall fashion inspiration soon, complete with links to recreate that charming, slightly waspy allure.

And that's not all! Stay tuned for more exciting adventures and insightful hotel reviews as I gear up for my upcoming trip to Rhode Island in August. The journey continues, and there's so much more to explore and share!

Love,

Ulia

P.S. You should stay at Greyfinch Inn on Cape Cod if you like:

New England style, JFK & Jackie, sailing, seafood, cozy little towns, Summer I turned Pretty, pretty seashells, Nicholas Sparks novels

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Theme 45: EXPLORING ASIA. Krabi, Thailand

Wonderful Thai Adventure of Ulia, Angel and Sarah

Krabi, Thailand with AseanTourism

Traveling for work has always been one of my biggest dreams, and in the last few months I was lucky to have fun in Mexico with NKDSKN, party with Amazon Prime and Lady Gaga in California and was sent on an unbelievable, unforgettable adventure by the ASEAN Tourism Board to Thailand, Malaysia, and to the island of Bintan in Indonesia.

The trip to Asia has been so rich in memories and enlightening in every way that I really wanted to share with you more details about my experience in every country I have visited with the team. Shall we begin?

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When I received an email invitation to join a trip to Southeast Asia, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. I think I almost screamed from happiness. I was still in a wondrous shock and disbelief until the tickets information hit my inbox and I marked my calendar with the date of my first flight (and oh boy, did we take many!) I have never been to Asia before and it meant so much to me to be able to explore this part of the world as a blogger.

An important thing to note is that all three countries - Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are quite conservative, therefore we were advised to bring more modest hot weather clothes.

As we had such a long adventure ahead filled with different activities (more about them later! It is the most exciting part!), I, like a typical girl, decided to pack 1000 outfits ‘just in case’. Luckily, I didn’t have to stress about packing, because I got a great gift from Victorinox - an expandable big suitcase.

My Victorinox, in a beautiful red color, proved to be very durable, but the best part of it that the one I have EXTENDS BY 45%! I honestly filled it with so many useful and not so useful things and every time I thought that this suitcase had enough, it would still fit ANYTHING I added. I had my share of different luggage and will do a detailed review of all of them one day, but so far Victorinox is my top favorite. 

Well, after the bags were packed, the goodbyes were said, me and Angel, who also lives in New York, flew to Hong Kong to meet our third travel partner Sarah (Los Angeles). Before I begin detailing all the adventures, I have to explain that this trip was not a regular one…

The main decisions on experiences were made by our followers, and they had to choose what each one of us was going to do and see. All the voting was taking place in our Instagram Stories!

By the time of our flight, I already gave my followers two choices for my first activity in Krabi, Thailand:

1. A visit to Elephant Sanctuary

2. Relaxing Natural Hot Springs Spa

However, an eccentric side of me decided that I should give my followers to pick my food and outfits sometimes too. So, there we were in Hong Kong, haven’t even started our official part of the trip, and I was already letting my audience to pick between me eating a cold fungus soup or some black herbal jelly. As these food decisions had to be quick, it looked like at the beginning the soup was winning, but 10 minutes later people voted more for the jelly… So I ATE THEM BOTH. If you want a good laugh or missed my Stories initially, go to my Asian Adventures Highlights on Instagram and watch that recording :D In short, jelly was not bad, but skip the soup!

Finally, after I filled myself with exotic Chinese food and drinks, our boarding to Bangkok started. Then we waited for another few hours in Bangkok, getting to know Sarah, who is AMAZING by the way, and finally after 24+ hours got on our final plane to Krabi.

USEFUL TIP: I highly recommend to exchange money at the airport as it is not that easy to find an exchange place later. At least change $50-$100. I know that doesn’t sound like a lot, but Thailand is a very pleasantly affordable country!

And there we were.. in Krabi!

When you imagine a classic picture of a paradise, you see Krabi. The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful: clean white beaches that stretch on for miles, turquoise blue waters filled with colorful sea creatures, dense mangrove forests, gorgeous limestone cliffs, and lush green jungle, intimidating and inviting at the same time. The rich, fresh smell of a grand adventure, spiced with the aroma of exotic flowers and wildlife, filled my lungs immediately.

We checked in at Centra by Centara Phu Pano Resort and started getting ready for our first dinner in Thailand, which was at a gorgeous and romantic Ruen Mai Restaurant. The restaurant’s roof is made from bamboo and reminded me of Tulum, and the whole structure, set in the open air is extended over a maze of canals and ponds and surrounded by beautiful nature.

The food and decor of every restaurant in Krabi that we visited on this trip exceeded my expectations. I got hooked on Papaya salad and Tom Yum soup, and hope to recreate some of the local Thai dishes at home for my friends and loved ones at home in New York.

After the dinner, we enjoyed a short night of sleep at the hotel (we really didn’t sleep much for two weeks while we were there, to be honest, but we loved every second of the trip!), and again, were impressed by the breakfast spread at Centra by Centara Phu Pano Resort. I think it was the best resort we stayed at during the entire trip, and the pool view was absolutely spectacular. 

But as much as I would have loved to eat my way through the buffet and then tan by the pool the entire morning, I was MADLY EXCITED for my first activity that was chosen by my followers - A VISIT TO ELEPHANT SANCTUARY!

Krabi Elephant Sanctuary is an ethical experience and a place where overworked and abused elephants find a new home and a safe haven. I was so lucky to get close to these magnificent creatures, feed them bamboo leaves and bananas, play with them in dirt and then bathe them in a river in the jungle. The whole experience was out of this world, and if you know me long enough, you know that interacting with animals is one of my favorite things in the world.

I also learned that you can make paper from elephant poo, and witnessed a few women and a cute little girl going through the whole process. I, of course, bought a couple of elephant poo paper notebooks as gifts and a big roll of paper for my own art projects :)

After the Elephant Sanctuary, the ASEAN Tourism Board and V’explore Tours informed us that after lunch on water (another delicious delicious lunch place, but unfortunately I cannot find its name! I will update this post if I do!), we actually were going to have another surprise. 

They must have read our minds because after the long flights and an active morning with elephants and shoots, we really wanted to relax a little bit and a visit to the famous Klong Thom Hot Springs Spa just made the whole day even more perfect. 

We enjoyed natural thermal springs, scrubs, neck massages and…. an hour-long INCREDIBLE Thai massage in a beautiful hut overlooking the jungle with pretty birds singing their beautiful songs. The whole experience was almost spiritual.

For Day 3, my followers chose between adventurous rock climbing overlooking Phra Nang Beach, Railay West and Tonsai Beach or canoeing Phang Nga Bay and visiting the Monkey Temple - Wat Suwanakuha.

Both of the options seemed extremely appealing to me, but I really wanted to see the temple and canoe, and that was what my followers chose for me to do!

I got to explore more of Krabi’s stunning scenery, fed monkeys, had a quiet moment of prayer and meditation followed by a mind-blowing adventurous ride in a canoe, a boat ride to a 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗲 on the water, and a visit to the famous 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱!

Did you know why monkeys are worshipped in Thailand? It’s all thanks to the 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, where the monkey Hanuman and his army helped Rama to take his wife Sita back, who was kidnapped by the demon Ravana!

That is why there are so many monkeys roaming around temples freely. The official name of the 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲 is 𝗪𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝘄𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗵𝘂𝗵𝗮 and it’s home to a magnificent reclining gold Buddha statue and to hundreds and hundreds of monkeys. Not going to lie, but I did not expect monkeys to be so hyperactive and at times a little bit scary to be around!

Useful Tip: Throw food at monkeys fast, otherwise they will snatch it and might hurt you. Also, don’t wear a backpack to the Monkey Cave as monkeys will definitely try to steal it :D

I also was so excited to see the famous James Bond Island and feel like a real Bond girl (of course I took some dramatic swimwear photos!). The island was featured in TWO FILMS about the iconic #007 Agent: ”𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗻” and “𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 N𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 D𝐢𝐞𝐬”, so the fans of the British agent will definitely enjoy the visit.

All our Thailand days were packed with various fun activities, beautiful experiences, and I absolutely fell in love with Thai culture, cuisine, and nature and with the very soul of the kind and hospitable Thai people. All three of us girls agreed that we would like to come back to Thailand as soon as possible and hopefully explore other parts of this magnificent country… 

But then, we were off to Malaysia, which I will tell you about in my next post!

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Theme 43: New Orleans. Royal Sonesta Hotel Review

One of the places that has been on my bucket list long before I moved to the USA was a charming, mysterious city of New Orleans. For some reason I kept putting away a trip to probably one of the most cinematic cities in the world, waiting for some serendipitous moment to arise. This October, unexpectedly, I was invited for a journey to the city of my fantasy-novels-inspired dreams, exactly on the city’s 300th anniversary.

After confirming my flight, I, in a dream-like haze, was saving all the information about haunted mansions, quaint bookstores, houses of famous writers and all the Instagram-worthy locations in Nola. But then I realized I have no idea where we should lodge!

I undoubtedly dreamed to stay in a famous, and, by the way, ridiculously gorgeous French Quarter, but I wanted to steer clear of any loud hotels, filled with people who came to only party on a fun Bourbon street. Some AirBnb properties looked lovely, but when I saw some photos and read about Royal Sonesta New Orleans, I was intrigued.

For me New Orleans is an enclave of a dark and beautiful history, rich with layers of French and Spanish Creole culture and architecture; a magical place where time doesn’t exist and you loose yourself in a time travel fantasy, while listening to the best jazz music you ever heard.

The hotel Royal Sonesta was a perfect choice for such a nostalgic soul like me, and it let me immerse myself into that classy, elegant, yet seductive and mysterious New Orleans dream I imagined for many years.

The grand lobby of the Royal Sonesta hotel looks like a movie set: a big old style wooden hotel reception with keys and neat envelops, hotel porters in sleek royal blue uniforms, vintage and antique items beautifully placed here and there, exquisite chandeliers and candelabras, water fountains, huge flower bouquets lushly blooming and filling the room with their sweet aroma and a soft jazz music playing on the background teasing the guests with the promise of one-of-the-kind stay.

The moment we stepped into the Royal Sonesta, I knew this is my kind of place as it reminded me of small chateaux in France, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” film and some lavish vampire pre-ball (of course! We are in NOLA after all!) setting at the same time.

There are almost 500 newly renovated beautifully decorated guest rooms and luxury suites, and the room we had was so cozy and charming that we loved going back to it and taking breaks between venturing out for long walks with a stop for delicious beignets and coffee at the world famous Cafe du Monde, and getting back out to the most wildly intoxicating and mysterious night air of New Orleans. Conveniently, the hotel Royal Sonesta is located right in the heart of the French Quarter!

The service at the hotel, by the way, was absolutely impeccable and I was able to learn about famous Southern hospitality firsthand. Once, for example, I asked for a steamer, and it was delivered pretty quickly, so I was able to steam my dresses for the city strolls. 

The breakfast and even lunch were included with the Sonesta Travel Pass (it is a loyalty program I recommend you to join as it has a lot of great perks! Learn more here), and even though I am usually pretty picky with hotel breakfasts, I was really happy with the variety and also some of the unique breakfast options Royal Sonesta offered their guests. I got to try grits for the first time in my life, and loved substituting my usual oatmeal with it. Another really sweet, in every sense, detail is that there was a full candy bar with Halloween chocolates, caramels, cookies and gummy worms, along with fruits and tea/coffee available from early morning to late night at the breakfast lounge. I might or might not sneaked some chocolates every night before going to bed to watch “Poldark” (not the most New Orleans inspired show, but I love period dramas, and I finished watching the most New Orleans’ show ever, “The Originals”, months ago!).

The hotel by the way, despite being located in the heart of the French Quarter, felt like a luxury quiet oasis from a bygone era.

The sounds of a bursting with life, Bourbon street, somehow do not travel through the walls of Royal Sonesta. The lush courtyard with a fountain and quaint little tables are welcoming to have a calm little moment with a book or your own thoughts. The pool area of Royal Sonesta is also absolutely beautiful and a great place to relax and enjoy the sunny weather of Louisiana’s most exciting city!

There are so many great little things and charming little details about Royal Sonesta, but I think it is important to note that the hotel is also home to some of the best dining and entertainment venues, making it even more unique! The Jazz Playhouse is arguably the best jazz club in the city, offering incredible live jazz music every evening right in the lobby level of Royal Sonesta. 

Desire Oyster Bar is another dining venue inside the hotel and it was so good that we went there twice for fresh chargrilled oysters, amazing creole food, like jambalaya and gumbo, and a wide variety of fresh seafood.

There is also a Restaurant and a bar R’evolution, Le Booze and PJ’s Coffee Café inside the Royal Sonesta Hotel, which we haven’t had a chance to experience. I heard from other guests that R’evolution serves some of the most interesting Cajun and Creole dishes and original cocktails, so I am looking forward to visit it next time in New Orleans (and I hope to be back for many many times in the years to come!).

This New Orleans trip was special for many reasons, and the Crescent City absolutely stole my heart like no city has ever done before (except maybe London back in 1999 when I visited it for the first time and made a wish to move there one day, which happened years after, but that is another story). I believe that accommodation is so incredibly important and should reflect the mood and aesthetic of your dream trip, and Royal Sonesta with its impeccable service, gorgeous classy 1930s-style-luxury-hotel decor and many charming spots, like a jazz filled ballroom, a courtyard with a pleasant babbling fountain and a decadent dining areas deserves all the stars I can give to it!

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Theme 42: Pennsylvania. A weekend in Gettysburg

There has been an exciting change my life! I am now a proud owner of a beautiful white fluffy samoyed named Enzo (full name is Enzo Sir Lancelot of Pine, because let’s face it, I would never be satisfied with just one name!). We chose to get our samoyed from the breeder White Magic Samoyeds, and going to Pennsylvania to pick up our puppy was a main reason of my road trip adventure.

I have never been in Pennsylvania before, but there were quite a few places I was dying to explore. One of them was Fallingwater House designed by world famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The house named “best all-time work of American architecture” was a little bit far from our final PA destination, so we opted to focus on exploring the city of Gettysburg and the nearby areas. 

If you follow me on Instagram or regularly read my blog, you might know that I am a big history buff, and as Gettysburg town played a significant role during the American Civil War, it has a great deal of historical monuments, wartime relics and is soaked with hair-raising ghost tales. Gettysburg also has this wonderful small-town charm, beautiful old Victorian style houses and one of the oldest inns in the whole America - The Historic Fairfileld Inn.

The Fairfield Inn that was built in 1757 was originally the Mansion House of Squire Miller, an original founder of town. The Inn is irresistibly charming and preserves all the flavors and details of the Revolutionary and Civil War eras. The Inn offers a few beautiful elegant and cozy rooms, but unfortunately, the Fairfield Inn was bully booked for the weekend we visited. I do recommend you to stay at the Inn (and I will certainly go back to do so!) as it is a unique and very romantic experience, and so much more intriguing than some little basic hotel room at a generic giant hotel chain.

Even though, Ben and I couldn’t stay at the Inn, we still wanted to explore it. Luckily the Inn has excellent dining options. We were lucky, and on the day of our visit there was a limited period dinner theatre experience, and I was obviously excited about it! 

The Inn was even more wonderful and detail-rich than I imagined, and as we arrived early, we had some great conversation with the host of the dinner theatre, Professor Kerrigan, who performs Civil War era magic, tells dramatic ghost stories, and is frankly, hilarious and fascinating at the same time!

The show was lovely, and truly gave us a little feeling of being immersed in another time. Food was beyond excellent! Don’t expect expensive fancy gourmet dishes as the Inn offers authentic, filling, delicious meals, that give you a taste of home. It is the kind of food your grandmother lovingly prepares specially for you when you visit, or what you imagine people eating on Christmas or big weddings in the 19th century. I had one of the most tasty soups I EVER had - a traditional Ham & Bean soup from the original recipe that was used to feed the Confederate Army in 1863! Then we tried Ribs and famous Chicken & Biscuits, that is prepared using the old recipe  passed through generations of innkeepers for centuries. But the absolute highlight of the my period dining experience was a freshly baked berry pie that I am craving every day since.

It was such a pleasant and warm visit, and now I really want to go back during Christmas time as they put out a beautiful Christmas tree and all the fireplaces are inviting you to warm yourself next to the crackling fire. How wonderful does it sound?

Discovering and sharing precious and under-the-radar places in America really gives me pleasure, and I can’t wait to explore more charming towns, rich with history and hospitality of their habitants. 

If you are interested to learn more about the historic Gettysburg, I recommend this history bus tour with an excellent guide (click here to learn more).

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Theme 8: California Diary. Loews Hollywood Hotel Review

"There's something in the air in Hollywood"

As every self-respecting blogger who is trying hard to fit in, every April I attend Coachella festival with Ben, who from a highly ranked financial consultant transforms into my full time photographer during our trips. The festival is actually our favorite excuse to stay in Los Angeles and explore the city more (aka looking for the most instagrammable places). One of the hotels we stayed at during our annual 'Californication', was Loews Hollywood Hotel.

Located in the heart of Hollywood - literally just next to the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Dolby Theater that is best known as Oscars location since 2002, Loews Hollywood Hotel is a dreamy and tasteful choice of accommodation for every traveler that wants to be close to the La La Land world.

The Hills! The Hollywood sign! The Theaters! Do I even need to say more?!

Waking up to the world famous Hollywood sign is definitely a very cliche thing that HAS TO BE on your bucket list, and Loews Hollywood can make that dream come true! Apart from having the A-list view, the hotel room we had was beautiful, spacious and comfortable, and had a bunch of informative magazines and books that helped to plan our city walks.

As Ben and I used to live in hotels full time, we have an eye for details and pay a very close attention to how a hotel's staff treats their guests. We were very impressed by how clean and equipped was the room, and how INCREDIBLY friendly and respectful every member of the Loews Hollywood family was. It is mind blowing how many luxury hotels nowadays have problems with their staff. W Hotel in Dubai was a great hotel, but had the worst valet service ever; St. Regis Kauai staff couldn't remember our names after two weeks of us staying there and were not attentive at all. We not only had zero issues with Loews Hollywood Hotel, but we actually had one of the best valet experiences in the last few years. It might seem like a small detail, but small things do really matter!

There are a lot of great amenities at the hotel, including a well-equipped gym, but me and my friend Vivien, who joined Ben and I on this trip, fell in love with the pool and hanged out there more than we initially planned. The view at the pool area make me geek out to this day as it a little bit reminds me of Ancient Assyrian wall reliefs. And any historical reference and a unique photo spot ranks high in my book.

I honestly think it is one of the most Instagrammable and just photogenic in general, pools in Los Angeles!

If you are hungry, Loews Hollywood offers a great variety of dining options, including a lovely American restaurant Preston's and a fun, filled with beautiful people, H2 Kitchen & Bar. It is not a secret that the breakfast buffet is one of my favorite parts of the staying at hotels (oh c'mon, we all can appreciate a variety of pastries and 10 types of cheeses on a plate to choose from!), and Loews Hollywood has an excellent one. I am getting hungry now by just thinking of that freshly made omelette and a bowl of fruits, soaked in honey :)

Another thing to mention and that is, I am sure, important for many of you, is the pricing point. For the service, location and the comfort you can't beat Loews Hollywood prices (less than $300 a night). The hotel is modern, chic and upbeat, but is family friendly and offers a calm retreat to the adventurers in the middle of the Hollywood's delicious madness!

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Swimsuit from: Yandy

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