With Love
From Kat

With Love
From Kat

My Valentine

Scottsdale, Arizona

I’m so excited to be able to give you a peek into my hometown; Scottsdale, Arizona.  I never truly appreciated the beauty of Arizona until I moved away – and now I savor every chance I get to be home.  There’s something magical about the desert – from the hazy pink sunsets, to the statuesque mountains, 100 year old cacti, and unique wildlife (think coyotes, jackrabbits and quails!) it’s a pretty special place.  When Sunglass Hut approached me to share who my Valentine was as a part of their “How I See” campaign, I jumped at the opportunity.  My cute dad, who has been a psychologist for over 30 years, is my Valentine.  My dad was born and raised in Arizona to a large Japanese farming family.  He is one of my biggest role models, and taught me the importance of staying humble, working hard, and treating everyone – no matter who they are – with respect.  Since my move to LA happened so quickly, and my house wasn’t ready for another few weeks (but my friend needed to move into my NYC place immediately!) I’ve been spending some quality time at home in Arizona.  It’s been so nice having a little father/daughter bonding time.  We’ve been playing tennis, hiking, cooking, going to the movies (LION was amazing), and eating our way through Scottsdale.  The restaurant scene in Arizona is top notch (this is coming from a serious foodie) and one of my favorites is a wine bar called Postino (which is included in my Travel App!)  Postino makes the most delicious bruschetta boards and the ambiance is comfortable and relaxed.  If you’re ever in town, I highly recommend going there, as well as El Chorro – a rustic indoor/outdoor restaurant with fireplaces sprinkled throughout the property.  My dad is wearing Ray Ban’s classic Clubmaster sunglasses here, and I’m wearing this chic black and gold pair from Michael Kors.  You can shop more of my favorite sunnies (perfect for Valentine’s Day) from Sunglass Hut below – including these Ray Ban aviators, this cat eye style from Prada, and this iconic pair from Michael Kors!

Shop the Post
Michael Kors sunglasses  |  Ray Ban sunglasses

Special thanks to Sunglass Hut for sponsoring this post.
Vienna Glenn Photography

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29 Comments

  • Syrina says:

    Love this post. So sweet! Happy Valentine.

    February 8, 2017
  • La Bijoux Bella | by mia says:

    Oh such a lovely and cute post about St. Valentines’s day. I really love it. :)

    ❤LA BIJOUX BELLA❤ | BY MIA | A Creative Lifestyle Blog

    February 8, 2017
  • Ewa Macherowska says:

    Such a nice post ;)

    February 8, 2017
  • Katie says:

    Such a sweet post!

    February 8, 2017
  • Huong says:

    What a SUPER sweet post, Kat! I love that even though this is a sponsored post, it feels so genuine! I lost my dad nine years ago this April, so this post is extra special for me personally. I love that you cherish your dad and get to spend time with him. You both look great!!! Happy Valentine’s! xo

    February 8, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      Thank you for your sweet words Huong. I really appreciate your comment and am so sorry to hear about your dad. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!! <3

      February 8, 2017
      • Huong replied:

        Thanks, Kat. I appreciate your sympathy. I hope you have a wonderful Vday tomorrow! Can’t wait to see your new place soon! xo

        February 13, 2017
  • Alyssa says:

    These photos are so sweet! xx

    http://www.fashionsensored.com

    February 8, 2017
  • Ashley Laurel says:

    This might be my favorite post you’ve ever done. There is nothing like spending quality time with family. :)

    February 8, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      Aw thanks love! It’s true!!! XO

      February 8, 2017
  • Helen says:

    I really loved this post! It’s so wonderful for you to share a little bit about your dad on the blog.

    -Helen
    http://www.sweethelengrace.com

    February 8, 2017
  • Anna White says:

    What a sweet post!! XO –

    Anna | http://www.parkavenueblogger.com

    February 9, 2017
  • Keshia says:

    Glad you get to spend some quality time back home before your big move to LA <3 Savor every moment <3

    xo,
    K

    http://www.instagram.com/keshiaruberg

    February 9, 2017
  • Camille says:

    What a beautiful post! I have never been to Scottsdale but I am dying to visit. It looks like such a gorgeous backdrop against your shoot. Your dad is a natural!

    Sincerely,

    Camille, a Nashville-based blogger
    http://www.serialoutfitrepeater.com

    February 9, 2017
  • Tammi shapiro says:

    Sweet and beautiful… in true Kat form.

    February 9, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      HEART YOU <333

      February 9, 2017
  • Julie says:

    Which camera did you use? Quality is perfect! I love your shoes!

    February 9, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      Thanks Julie! Lea my photographer in Arizona would be able to answer that – I believe it was a Canon Mark III though! :)

      February 10, 2017
  • Emily Piskulick says:

    omg, these are the cutest photos! xo

    http://www.dearserendipity.com/

    February 10, 2017
  • Asha says:

    This is such a lovely post Kat. Now I know where you get your gorgeous hair and killer smile!

    February 10, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      Aw thank you Asha ;)

      February 10, 2017
  • KAROLINA ZURAW says:

    I love this post! I really enjoyed learning about your dad’s (and your Japanese) background – FASCINATING! You have a beautiful father/daughter bond. Enjoy every moment of it. Happy Valentine’s Day to you both!

    February 10, 2017
  • Kathleen @ Carrie Bradshaw Lied says:

    These are the sweetest photos of you two!

    February 10, 2017
  • Joanne says:

    Love this post with you and your dad. Gorgeous jacket too!

    February 11, 2017
  • Lidya says:

    Hi Kay, lovely post! Can you please give details of your jacket and heels?
    Thanks

    February 17, 2017
    • kat@withlovefromkat.com replied:

      Thank you! Sandals are from here: http://bit.ly/2lwlQ0u and jacket is from here: http://bit.ly/2lwn3oA

      xo

      February 19, 2017
  • melissa says:

    I’ve been in love with Arizona for years. One day i hope to visit. Lovely post, nice to see your dad.

    February 19, 2017
  • Trish says:

    Beautiful daughter and beautiful dad! :)
    <a href="http://www.myofficecleaning.co.uk/euston-nw1-commercial-cleaning/"Euston cleaning

    February 23, 2017
  • Thankful and Things I'm Grateful For | With Love From Kat says:

    […] Father/daughter bonding timeWhen I moved out of my NYC apartment, my Venice beach house wasn’t ready yet so I moved home to Arizona for a month and lived with my dad.  I hadn’t lived with my dad as an adult – it had been since senior year of high school, and I hadn’t really spent long extended periods of time with him between work, college, brief holiday weekends, etc. so that month of  father/daughter time I had was priceless.  We played tennis, hiked, watched a zillion movies, grilled, and really got to know one another on a different level. […]

    November 26, 2017