Although I was sad to leave Chiang Mai and my sweetheart of an elephant, Boonpuk, it was time to hit Thailand’s famous beaches. So off we went to Phuket!

* We stayed at the JW Marriott Resort, which was simply amazing! The grounds are blow-your-mind gorgeous! The resort is located right on the ocean and has three pools, several restaurants, and an amazing spa with outdoor rooms. We shared a two-bedroom unit with a kitchen, so we could cook meals at “home.”. Unfortunately, the ocean is too rough for swimming, so we spent many hours at the pool.

The resort's grounds were stunning! My feet lounging by the pool, and Keri collecting shells on the beach.

* The hotel was pretty isolated, so we took a taxi one day to Patong Beach, which is the closest one where you can swim in the ocean. The beach guys will set you up with chairs and umbrellas for about $3, and you can also rent boogie boards, windsurfing boards, etc. While I was enjoying the ocean breeze, I indulged in a 45-minute foot massage with fresh, cold aloe. It was dreamy and only $7.

The view from my chair at Patong Beach, a guy giving his dog a ride by scooter (love it!), and my cooling aloe foot massage. Aahhhhhh.

* Just by luck, we happened to go down a little street and came across an incredible ceramic shop called Siam Ceramic Handmade. It was filled with beautiful hand-painted ceramics, and I bought a few coffee mugs to bring home as souvenirs. We spent about a hour there with the family that owned it. They shared their photos and stories about the tsunami. Wow! (And not a good wow.) They lost three stores in eight minutes when the tsunami struck! The amount of destruction, death, and cleanup they endured is beyond comprehension.

The family showed us photos of the store after the tsunami. The store as it is today, and Keri, Kara, and me with the lovely family who owns the business.

* Fantasea Show—One night we went out for dinner and a show. The performance was absolutely beautiful and featured elephants, tigers, lots of dancers, incredible costumes, music, and gorgeous set design. If you want to go to a traditional Thai dinner show, this is the one! It’s great for both kids and adults!

Finally, you can take the girl away from Ped, but you can’t take Ped away from the girl:

These beautiful handmade bags, of course, caught my eye, and my sweet beach feet in my sweet Cydwoq sandals.

Tomorrow, our final destination: Bangkok!

After our lovely visit with the Chuns in Singapore, we left our gracious hosts and headed to our next destination, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Guess what, Ped fans? Ped means “diamond” in Thai!!! I love it!

The next few days were more fun than I could have imagined! Here are a few highlights (again, two asterisks indicate a must-do):

* Baan Orapin—We stayed at this wonderful bed and breakfast, which is both centrally located and well-maintained. The people there are so nice, and they serve a great breakfast out by the pool. Also the staff offered great suggestions on what to do during our visit..

The King of Thailand on a Chiang Mai billboard, and breakfast by the pool at Baan Orapin.

* Two fun restaurants: 1) The Riverside Restaurant, which is within walking distance of the B&B; and 2) the Whole Earth Restaurant, which is a tuk tuk ride away. Both have lots of choices and offer wonderful Thai and Indian dishes.

* Night Bazaar—This lively spot is also a short walk from the B&B and offers a range ofThai crafts.

* Foot Massages ($6) and Thai Massages ($14)—a MUST in Thailand! If you have never had a Thai Massage, watch out! They will stretch and move your body like it’s never been stretched and moved before!

* Sergeant Kai of Chiang Mai Tours was our guide for a day, and he turned out to be both a great guy and also a true resource for getting to know Chiang Mai.He took us to the Tiger Kingdom. I went in with the baby tigers, but the big ones were very intimidating!

Keri and I played with the tiger cubs, while Kara and Angela bravely petted the adult cats.

**Sergeant Kai then took us to the Doi Suthep Buddhist temple. A jewel on the hill, this temple is not to be missed! It’s a 45-minute drive to the top of the hill by car, and the view once there is breathtaking! Painted with 22kt gold, the temple and stupa (which holds the relics) are amazing. We arrived at sunset, just as the monks began their evening chanting. A resident monk blessed us and sent us on our way endowed with sacred bracelets and luck. The drive back offered a stunning view of the city of Chiang Mai.There were also cute dogs everywhere because the monks feed them! (Lulu and Ella were happy to hear this.)

The gold-painted Doi Suthep temple, Keri with the monk who blessed us, and the hilltop view of Chiang Mai.

**Patara Elephant Farm —This was absolutely the best day of the entire trip! Pat, the guide and owner of the farm, was extremely informative and explained the farm’s mission is to preserve and maintain a breeding program for the protected elephants. They assigned me my own elephant, Boonpuk, and I became responsible for inspecting his health and also for feeding, cleaning, bathing, exercising, and swimming with him that day!

I took Boonpuk for a bath, but the elephants decided we needed one, too!

We spent nine hours with the elephants at the farm and in the surrounding area. The elephants are so gentle, and I discovered the truth behind the saying “memory like an elephant’s”! After just half an hour with Boonpuk, he knew who I was and watched me all day. I rode him for hours and even swam with him. I truly fell in love with this gentle giant!

Keri, me, and Kara on our elephants. Boonpuk and I commune  on the rocks after our swim, while Keri enjoys a dip with her elephant.

Patara is altogether different than other elephant “rides” that merely offer a quick 20 minutes on an elephant’s back. It’s a life-changing experience! It is the one thing you must do while in Thailand! You can even stay overnight at Patara. (To learn more, see the Patara reviews on Trip Advisor.)

Boonpuk and me—a match made in Thai heaven!

Tomorrow, on to Phuket!

I returned from my glorious two-week tour of Southeast Asia last Thursday, and, whew, only now am I getting back up to speed with all things Ped. But I know a lot of you are curious about my trip, and I’m eager to share the highlights. It was such a blast(!!!), and I have so much to say that I’ve decided to break my travelogue into four parts—so check back everyday over the next few days to get the complete scoop on where we went and what we did.

First stop: Singapore, where the Chuns hosted us in their gorgeous 18th-floor apartment.

Angela, me, Florence Chun and daughter Emily, Keri, and Kara, plus the spectacular view from the Chuns' apartment.

Here are the most memorable things about our stay in Singapore (a double asterisk means it’s a “must-do” if you visit):

** The Singapore Flyer is a gigantic, new Ferris wheel that fits about 15 people in each “pod.” Once aboard, you’re treated to a spectacular 360-degree view of Singapore.

Looking up at the wheel and out from our "pod."

*Au Jardin by Les Amis restaurant in the Singapore Botanical Gardens is a gorgeous restaurant set in the trees. Not only is the food spectacular, but the presentation is also top-notch. Go here for your fancy dinner in Singapore!

Just looking at that dish makes me drool!

**Shangri-La Hotel—Dad and Angela stayed here back in the early 1990’s. The hotel and pool area are stunning! The buffet dinner is also amazing—so fresh, with everything you could possibly want or even imagine. I hope to stay here next time we visit.

The lovely lobby and pool at the Shangri-La.

*Sentosa Island is a resort area that’s very close to Singapore. It has beaches (not great), rides, a luge, an aquarium, and restaurants. The best part for me was the hanging gondola ride back into Singapore, which provided gorgeous views of the area.

Keri and Emily goofing around and petting a pink dolphin on Sentosa Island.

*Paragon Shopping Centre—Normally, I don’t like malls (and in Singapore, they are everywhere), but this one had my favorite Japanese store: MUJI. I first discovered Muji in Paris in the Marais, and I love how it’s filled with home gadgets, organic clothing, and fun little objects.

*Food Republic—Located on Orchard Road (a major shopping street, this food court has every imaginable type of Thai, Malay, Chinese, and Japanese food! Fresh smoothies are huge there! My favorite was the watermelon freeze (yum).

Strange desserts at the Food Republic, and the happy travelers with our hosts post-meal.

Also, here are two practical bits of advice if you’re heading to Singapore:

*Make sure to buy a SIM card for your phone at 7-Eleven as soon as you arrive. It makes calling home to the US much cheaper! (By the way, there are 7-Elevens everywhere!!)

*The Singapore dollar is high, so don’t buy too much here. Instead, wait until you get to Thailand, where everything is much less expensive!

Check back tomorrow, Ped Fans, to learn how I fell in love with an elephant in Chiang Mai, Thailand!

From the days when Ped was a brick-and-mortar store in Seattle, we have always had the good fortune to have the most wonderful people on staff. None more so than the stylish Nicole Benuska, who now works as a fashion merchandiser in New York City (those are her Fiorentini + Baker boots in this Tale of the Sole from November). So, we were thrilled to the gills to discover her featured as a style icon in Footwear Plus Magazine! They celebrated how fabulous she looks rocking the distressed denim trend in her husband’s jeans. We couldn’t agree more!

We also love that Nicole’s chosen Fiorentini + Baker sandals as footwear for her look. Although we don’t have these gladiator sandals in stock currently (sorry, gals), we are expecting new F+B boots before the end of the month. So, stay tuned Ped fans!

Meanwhile, we can’t wait to see what Nicole wears next!

Of all the words that rhyme with kale, gale, and tale, we suspect your favorite is “sale”! (It’s definitely ours.) There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than that four-letter word—it’s like a rainstorm that cools things off and leaves the air smelling sweet. Although we’re not exactly twiddling our thumbs while Dayna’s away, we thought we’d juice things up by marking a few things down! So, we’ve made it even more fun to amp up your warm-weather wardrobe with Argila, Chie Mihara, Coclico, and Giraudon.

Behold just a few of Ped’s summer sale treats:

The color of Argila’s Harper sandal reminds us of clear Caribbean waters. We love the femininity of the softly gathered leather and gentle curves of the design.

Beautiful at $364, it’s now even lovelier at $291.20 $239 (that’s right, things are getting sweeter by the day).

We’re head over heels for Chie Mihara’s Rula‘s retro-licious vibe. The cutwork and stitching on this easy-to-wear wedge are truly dazzling.

$358 no more! It’s now $286.40!

When you really want to turn heads, simply slip on Coclico’s Mussel platform sandal in poppy! ZING! Instantly, every eye is admiring your cute feet walking down the street!

Zesty when it was $352, it’s irresistible at $281.60.

Have you ever fantasized about hanging out in Paris in the 1920s? If so, Giraudon’s romantic Hemingway is right up your alley. Suitors are sure to vie for your heart when you wear this flirty, vintage-inspired beauty!

It’s original price of $282 is a thing of the past. Say hello to thoroughly modern $225.60 $199 (the cat’s meow)!

These tasty temptations are only the beginning of the summer sale feast we’ve laid out for Ped fans. Enjoy!