Valentine's Weekend Festivities

Another busy, busy weekend...

On Friday evening I came home from work to find Lola dressed in a cute Valentine's outfit and some roses from my two loves. You can tell she's getting big but I still love picking her up like a baby!

 

K and I then headed to Downtown Disney to have dinner at Planet Hollywood before the SOJA concert at the House of Blues. SOJA is a reggae band from Arlington, Virginia that I absolutely love. My sister gifted used the concert tickets for Christmas so I've been looking forward to the show for a while.

 

 

On Saturday we took Lola to her final training class at PetSmart. She passed her graduation class not exactly with flying colors and got her certificate of achievement so we're done with puppy training!

After training, K and I headed to Epcot to continue the Valentine's festivities. 

We did some shopping in China and had some drinks in Japan, Morocco and England.  

We capped off the night with a double-date dinner in the France pavilion at the Monsieur Paul restaurant. I had the duck entree which was amazing and same for the wine was but holy expensive!! On the plus side, we were seated by the window which overlooked the 9pm fireworks so the view was priceless.

By the time we were done with dinner it was at 10:30pm and the park was closed for the day so we had a peaceful walk back to the car without tripping over a million people and got some great photos. It was the perfect end to Valentine's day!

Sunday was a relaxing day at home. Lola played dress up in her new Chinese kimono I bought at Epcot and I also love the little Buddha statue I got for my office desk.

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending linkup.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Friday Recap & Weekly Favorites

Happy Friday 13th!

I've never been superstitious about Friday the 13th. I'm actually born on December 13th so I think of it as a lucky day, if anything. This week seemed to crawl by as they all seem to do...

~ K came home with girl scout cookies from a coworker. Gah! My two favorite types - Caramel deLites & Thin Mints...I'm hiding them until after my trip to Trinidad next weekend.

~ Received a cute Valentine's note and scratch-off lottery ticket from a coworker. Didn't win shit but it was very thoughtful of her.

~ The job threw a lunch party yesterday. Who doesn't love free lunch?

~ Said lunch party also had several raffle prizes and I won a $25 Brio gift card. I see happy hour and wine happening in the near future.

Favorite Valentine's Cocktail Recipe:
Blue Chair Bay's Island Mimosa sounds like the perfect adult beverage for Valentine's day or Sunday brunch this weekend.
 

Favorite Shopping Finds: 

I posted about my love for peplum tops yesterday. These are the two that I picked up over the weekend from Express.

 Aztec Sequin Peplum Tank

Zip Back Peplum Tank

I also picked up these two tops for work which are super comfy and the material is soft & silky.

Mixed Texture Zip Front Tee

Zip Back Peplum Tank

Favorite Recipe: 
Nadine's Asian Zoodles recipe looks phenomenal! Let's be honest, a low-carb alternative to a tasty Asian dish is a must try!

 

Favorite Funny:
Featuring the mischievous yet loving Lola...



I'm counting down the days until my sunny getaway to the Caribbean for my best friend's wedding...

Have a fun and safe weekend loves!

Joining Amanda and Tif for their Friday linkups.

Pretty Peplums

Is it Friday yet? We're not quite there but close enough so that makes me happy.

I went shopping last weekend (mainly window shopping) and it got me eying so many new styles and looks. I often don't have the patience to go to the mail and end up doing 90% of my shopping online but it was nice to get out of the house and browse, yet restrain myself from splurging on every pretty thing I saw. Peplum tops caught my eye though...

They aren't a perfect match for every lady out there but I happen to think they're flattering for my body type . I don't like skin-tight tops and sometimes loose-fitted tops can be a bit too baggy (although I do love some loose-fitted tops). Anyways, peplums can often give you that happy medium which is something that makes me feel comfortable yet dressy enough for the occasion. 

I picked up a few cute peplums at Express over the weekend which I'll have on the blog tomorrow.

What do you think about the peplum look?

Urban Decay Goodies

I was so excited to find out I won Kate's Urban Decay giveaway, and the grand prize winner to boot! This never happens and the bulldog card was a sweet surprise.

With two Caribbean weddings coming up early this year and me being pasty white, I was super stoked to find the prize came with two bottles of UD's Santa Tanita self tanner. It's already been put to use twice and works well as a gradual tanner.

The only product I've used in the bunch is UD's Eyeshadow Primer Potion so I'm can't wait to try the rest of these goodies:

~ Midnight Cowboy eye shadow

~ Urban Defense tinted moisturizer

~ De-slick mattifying gel

~ After Glow cheek tint

~ Urban Glow cream highlighter 

~ Glide on eye pencil

~ Honey-infused lip therapy lip gloss

Other than the eyeshadow primers, which are known to be some of the best in the market, I'm most excited to try out the Midnight Cowboy eyeshadow and the Honey-infused lip gloss.

What's your favorite Urban Decay makeup products?

Paleo Chicken Stew

I've been experimenting with different Paleo recipes to see how I like them and this chicken stew is one of the better ones I've tried so far. Stews never look pretty in pictures but the heartiness & healthiness of this recipe is worth trying for yourself. I found the recipe here and altered a few ingredients to my liking. 

Serving size: 6 

Ingredients:

 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 cup butternut squash, chopped

2 sweet potatoes, chopped

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

1/2 red onion, diced

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

What To Do:

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and saute garlic and red onion for about 5 minutes until softened.

2. Add the chicken, squash, sweet potatoes and seasonings. Pour chicken broth over ingredients in the pan and stir ingredients. Bring to a boil and then cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes on medium-high heat.

3. Add spinach to the saucepan, stir and cook for an additional 10 minutes on medium heat or until the chicken and sweet potatoes are full cooked.

Enjoy!

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Weekend Happenings

The quiet weekends after the holidays were short-lived for me and some busy weekends are here to stay for a while...

 On Friday night, we went to the Magic vs Lakers game and got some nice seats pretty close to the court courtesy of my job and surprisingly the Magic got a win.

After the game we stopped at Church Street Tavern for some dinner and cold beverages before calling it a night.

On Saturday we took Lola to her 5th training class (she graduates next weekend) and then stopped off at a pet-friendly restaurant for some lunch.

On Saturday night, Kerri hosted a blogger's night at her place. Kate, Kerri & I had such a fun time watching chick flicks, drinking wine and playing Cards Against Humanity. We hung out and chit-chatted for a few hours before heading out...

We headed to The Brass Tap bar for some craft beers and live music. Such a fun night with these two pretty ladies and fellow bloggers!

On Sunday, K and I went to the mall, which is a miracle in itself to get him to go shopping with me. It happens about once a year but this was my "gift" after he spent last weekend in Vegas for a bachelor party. We picked up a couple things before heading for a quick bite to eat at The Gnarly Barley craft beer and sandwich shop.

What a fun weekend!

Joining the lovely Biana for her Weekending linkup every Monday.

$150 Valentine's Giveaway + Friday Favorites

We meet again on this fabulous Friday and today this group of lovely ladies & myself have teamed up to offer you a fun giveaway! How perfect will it be to win $150 smackaroos to spend at Victoria's Secret just in time for Valentine's day?

Hosted by: The Sequin Notebook, Jessi's Design, Martinis and Bikinis, A Little Glitter, Martin Manifesto, The Kari Diaries, Pink and Fabulous, Make Me Up Mia, Green Fashionista and Meet @ the Barre

a Rafflecopter giveaway 
This giveaway runs from today (Feb 6th) until Feb 13th at 6am EST and the winner will be chosen at random. 

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Joining the lovely Amanda for Friday's Favorites.

Favorite Shopping Find:
The Heart Back Cut-Out Fit And Flare Dress from Express is sexy and sleek for Valentine's celebrations next weekend or any fun occasion.

Favorite Accessories: 
My Alex & Ani collection is almost complete. I think I've raved enough about A&A here on the blog but my most recent addition is this Tinkerbell bangle from Magic Kingdom. I still have a gift card from Christmas to purchase one more but I really need to slow my roll after that.

Favorite Recipe: 

Kerry from Till Then Smile Often always come up with such fun and creative recipes. Her Buffalo Spinach Hummus recipe posted earlier this week looks like the perfect snack if you're looking for something healthy, delicious and paleo-friendly.

Favorite Funny:
Have you heard of #FloridaMan? If you don't already know, Florida is full of crazies and it seems like most news stories coming from our wacky southern state sound something like this:

"Florida man caught with active meth lab in his pants"
"Florida man offers police officer $3 and chicken dinner for sex"
"Florida man arrested for smoking pot in hospital maternity ward"

There's now a documentary out called Florida Man that solidifies my theory/observation and something I've actually been meaning to post about because the stories are just that unbelievable and sometimes downright funny.

Of course, I love living in Florida but how can one not poke fun at these ridiculous stories that make it to the news? I really need to start posting more about these absurdities as they arise (which I've been meaning to do). Hopefully, one day, people around here won't be so coo coo for cocoa puffs.

 I leave you on that note...

Enjoy the weekend! Stay warm, safe and avoid the crazies out there!

Skin Solutions: Pore Minimizing & Full Coverage Makeup

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimizer - I'm not 100% sold on this product being an effective pore minimizer but I love the tingly and refreshing feeling of tea tree on my face so I use this more of a night cream as opposed to a pore primer.

Smashbox High Definition Liquid Concealer - This is the best full coverage concealer in my opinion and that small, skinny tube surprisingly goes a long way! I'm not prone to acne but I do get an irritable bastard here and there, which is when this concealer comes to the rescue. I also use it to even out my skin tone since I tend to get redness in certain areas of my face so I place a tiny amount on a sponge and blend it well into my skin.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation -  If you're looking for full coverage on your face, Tarte Amazonian foundation has you covered, literally! I use it sparingly and it still provides full coverage that will last all day. Once again, I use foundation to even out my skin color and mask any redness.

Benefit the POREfessional Pore Minimizing Makeup Primer - This is the pore minimizer that I recommend over Body Shop's tea tree one mentioned above. It applies smoothly and creates a very light layer on your skin to cover up yout pores. I apply after using moisturizer and before applying concealer and/or foundation.  I mainly use on my cheeks and T-zone and haven't found anything that does the trick better.

Benefit the POREfessional Zero Agent Shine - Other than Clean & Clear blotting paper, this sheer powder works great to control shiny skin. I don't use it daily but when I do, I apply it after moisturizer and before foundation. The powder is very light so won't leave any residue on your face. You can also apply later in the day as your facial oils build up to reduce shine.

Slow Cooked Pulled Jerk Chicken

This recipe is for the spicy food lovers. Jamaican jerk is a seasoning used to kick up chicken, fish, and pork dishes (but not limited to that).

Serving size: 6 

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp (mild) Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning
1 cup orange juice
5 carrots, chopped (optional)
 

What To Do:

1.  Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your crock pot and top with chopped carrots.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together garlic, orange juice, and jerk seasoning. Pour over chicken and carrots in crock pot. 

3. Cook on low for 6 hours. (Add 1/2 cup water if the consistency is too dry for your Shred chicken with two forks by pulling chicken in opposite directions with the forks. 

4. Put crock pot on 'keep warm' setting and let shredded chicken marinate in the sauce for an additional 30 minutes.

5. Serve over rice, in a sandwich or it's perfectly good by itself if you are limiting carbs. 

Jamaican jerk seasoning can be found in the Ethnic aisle at most grocery stores. I bought the 'hot & spicy' one but I recommend you start off with the mild which is still spicy or use only 1.5 tbsp of the hot & spicy.

Enjoy!

 

1. Follow Kate and myself via GFC and Bloglovin.

2. Link up your favorite recipes or food-related posts.

3. Grab our Recipe Swap button and link back to our blogs.

Weekending: Rest, Relax, Repeat

Not a very eventful weekend to talk about but I did manage to be productive and enjoyed catching up on some rest and girl time with Lola.

On Friday, K and I went for Italian dinner and wine and then had a relaxing night at home before he flew to Vegas super early Saturday morning for a bachelor party & the Super Bowl. 

On Saturday, I took Lola to her 4th training class and then did some shopping and errands before heading over to a friend's house to finally meet her baby born on Christmas eve. I went bearing wine, dinner and some gifts for the baby.

On Sunday, I decided against going to any Super Bowl parties and stuck around the house to finish up some cleaning, food prep and, blogging which typically consumes my Sundays. I have some busy weekends coming up so it was nice to have a free weekend to go wherever the wind took me.

Lola and I had a nice girls weekend!

How was your weekend/Super Bowl Sunday?

Joining the lovely Biana for Weekending.