What’s in my Beach Bag

What’s in my Beach Bag

Hello Pretty ladies,

If you caught Wednesday’s Chit chat chic live, you know we shared about our beach bags and what we like to take along with us to the beach, pool, or lake.

Now that the boys are grown, it looks slightly different than the oversized sand-proof totes and all the toys and essentials. The one big plus to midlife is you only have to take what you want/need and maybe think of my hubby. So with that said, I am sharing items I have taken in my bag on vacation.

The Beach Bag

This bag from WHBM is now on SALE, and I am telling you, YOU want it! It holds a ton, is sturdy, and oh so fun with its leopard print and large straw tassel.

The Cup

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I am a huge Ice tea and water drinker. And if I am poolside/waterside, I will also have a cocktail… so, yes.. you could find me with three cups at the pool🥤🍹😂Here are the cups we own and take along⬇️

Sun Hat

You know I am a hat girl✔️, And I have some favorite Summer hats I wear year after year. I like they stay on my head and cover my face from the sun. Lack of color and Gigi pip are my go-to brands for styling and excellent quality hats.

The Towel

I am a little picky about my beach/ pool towels. I have always liked having them all match to keep track of them. Also, I Like them oversized and very fluffy. I love the Pottery Barn towels and the classic black and white stripe.

The Suntan lotion

Suntan lotion and browning lotion, I love the Tula suntan lotion for my face, Sun bum for my body, and browning lotion for my legs to help get a golden brown tan.

SunGlasses

Great sunglasses are a must for poolside or beach days, and I love to have a pair of sunglasses that can also serve as readers. Peepers created just that. Two in one. Below are the pairs I have and use.

Books and Tunes

Who doesn’t love a good Summer read and some tunes? I sure do, and below are a few of my past books I’ve loved reading poolside, along with how we listen to some tunes. We love the JBL speaker. It’s waterproof, Bluetooth, and lightweight, which gives off a great sound. Apple eye buds are great if needing to be personal versus music for a group.

Extra’s

Below is a few other bag essentials, I always have In my bag, a face mist by Tula, the Tula I balm, A couple of Coola Suncare products. and my favorite Havana flip-flops.

More Beach Bags

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. “What’s in my Beach Bag I would love for you to comment below. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

11 Free Date Ideas

Hello Pretty Ladies,

I thought it would be fun to share some fun free date night ideas with you that my hubby and I love to do with each other, along with a couple of reasons why it’s important to date your spouse.

The importance of Taking Time to Date your spouse:

Taking the time to date your spouse is essential to stay connected, share your thoughts, and catch up on your week. Life gets busy with family duties, work, and life. It’s really easy to disconnect and eventually grow apart.

Why You Should Date your Spouse:

Ben and I make a point to have a weekly date night. Time for just him and I, no kids, no work, no duties. It’s our time that we can enjoy each other and talk about what is going on in our lives. Spending time together keeps us emotionally connected, which helps with staying physically connected.

Here are a few great articles on the importance of Dating your Spouse:

Importance of Friendship and Fun| 10 Reasons to date your Spouse| 5 Reasons it’s important to date your spouse

11 Free Date Ideas:

1. Bike ride– Taking a bike ride around the block is fine, but Searching out a fun bike path you maybe haven’t done makes it more special. Pack some snacks and stop for a little break to chat and Catch up.

2. Walk– I love a good walk. Research a fun walking path, pack a light meal and incorporate a picnic.

3. Picnic– Pack a picnic and head to the Park or scenic area, take in the view, and have a meal.

4. Pool or spa – if you have one or have a community pool-make a charcuterie board and cocktails and enjoy some time together poolside.

5. Go for a drive– One of my husband’s favorite things is to take a Sunday drive. Depending on the time of the year, we’ll hop in the convertible, play some tunes and check out some new scenery.

6. Cook -a new recipe together

7. Coffee and chat– make coffees (tea), sit on the porch or deck, and catch up.

8. Home Spa day– hubbies can have home facials too. Pull out your Beauty products and give each other facials.

9. Hike– pack a picnic and go for a hike. It’s easy to find ones in your area. Google is your friend. In Utah, we like these four, depending on the level we’re feeling that day. 1. Water Fall canyon 2. Skyline trail 3. Ogden River Parkway trail 4. Wind Cave Trail

10. Concert– You say concerts aren’t free? Yes, a lot of areas have free concerts. It just takes a little google search. Live in Utah? Snowbasin has Blue, Brews & BBQ, and Music in the mountains at Powder Mnt. , Silly Sundays Park City, and Canyons village Summer concerts,

11. Movie night– pop some popcorn, grab a drink get comfy, and watch a movie you’ll enjoy.

Think of where you live. Are you close to the beach, a lake, wildflower fields, scenic roads, and rivers? All of these beautiful surroundings make for a great free date spot.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. “11 Free Date Ideas” I would love to comment below. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

Places to Shop in Louisiana

Hello Pretty Ladies,

Looking for some fun & beautiful places to shop while you are in Louisiana? We have some great places to visit In Baton Rouge, about an hour out of New Orleans, which is worth the drive. Perkins Row is in the heart of Baton Rouge’s Medical and shopping district with the latest fashion trends and upscale, boutique-style shops and delightful restaurants. Towne Center at Cedar Lodge is an open-air center with premier shopping & dining paired with beautiful Architecture and landscaping. We enjoyed both the shopping and the dining experience as each center has its charm with different style shops, landscape, and dining. Below you’ll find the shops we Highlighted at each location.

Magazine Steet, Located in New Orleans, is widely known and has become a destination. A street full of old homes turned into storefronts mixed in with cafes and coffee shops, giving it a little bit of a town’s main street feel, yet has the charm of “old world.”

What’s a girl’s Trip without shopping and lunch? Sharing below a couple of shops that hosted us at each location and the details of each. I hope you enjoy it.

Perkins Row in Baton Rouge

Krewe, Founded in 2013 by Stirling Barrett, KREWE creates iconic handmade Italian frames that celebrate individual taste. KREWE sunglasses are fitted with superior quality lenses and feature a variety of styles from round and square to butterfly and aviator. Durable barrel hinges and sharp attention to detail complete each pair, lending them unmatched comfort and protection.

How cute is this little Pop-up shop by KREWE? Located At Perkins Rowe, Krewe originated in Louisana and has made a name for themselves as a leader in the Sunglass world with their killer optics and frame designs. We were treated to Champagne, hosted by a darling sales girl who was helpful and a delight to work with.

Check out the cool Styles we chose and want to see more behind the scenes? Check out my Story highlight tab on Instagram.

: Cheers From Krewe

: Welcome

: Perfect Optics

Shop My glasses and the ones I got my Hubby, Bens Below:

Shop My outfit below:

Versona

Versona is a fun apparel, jewelry, and accessories brand with a unique approach to fashion priced right every day. You’ll find trendy pieces for every age at a price you can afford.

Versona, at Perkins Rowe, had a lovely and helpful staff that gave us a little back history of Versona. It was fun to hear how they started and would take over many of Charming Charles’s locations. So, you too could have a Versona coming near you soon. But, until then, you can shop Versona online with ease.

We were treated to a gift card to pick an Item. Below, you’ll see one outfit I created in my beloved Neutral color pallet (something I think will be BIG for Spring). I purchased the Faux leather shacket and a denim Chambrey button-up shirt (which I forgot to take a photo of! ). Shop the Look Below.

: Try on

: Versona

Shop my Try -ons and purchases below:

Magazine street, In New Orleans

Retail street stores offer a delightful antidote to the typical mall experience. Clusters of shops are interspersed with charming homes and a mix of renovated warehouses and shops selling housewares, pottery, period furniture, clothing, books, glass, toys, china, soaps, and jewelry. Magazine Street is the ideal spot for a leisurely walk-about, with plenty of coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants to provide a pit stop and refreshment to the tired shopper. New Orleans.com

Mignon Faget

Mignon Faget’s jewelry is as modern as today when she first began designing over 50 years ago. Drawing inspiration from the world around her, the creations feature an effortless mix of natural, organic forms and bold, sculptural lines. Mignon’s revolutionary approach to deconstructing and reconstructing recognizable shapes marks her as an unrivaled innovator in jewelry design—

Each Mignon Faget piece is designed on historic Magazine Street in New Orleans.

We were treated to a HALO BANGLE PEARL GOLD PLATED bracelet, which I have worn every day! It layers with all of my other bracelets so well.

: Our New bracelet

: Mignon Faget Store Front

: Chit Chat Chic Girls

Mignon Faget’s storefront, decorated for the House float parade. (more info below) The Chit Chat Chic Girls interpretation of the Beetles…

Shop the Bracelet we each received below:

Off Magazine St.

House Floats are all over New Orleans (most near Magazine street). They took over for the canceled parades due to covid last year. So instead of people gathering for parades, you could drive around and look at the house parade. AKA House Floats… People loved it so much they continued to do it again this year. Mignon Faget’s House float was Amazing, as were so many. We just didn’t have time to stop and take photos. There were so many over-the-top decorations, but we had a lot of one-way streets and an appointment we had to get to.

: A peek at some homes

: partaking in House Floats

: or a House Parade

: House Floats from simple to Over the top

: Beads are everwhere in Nola

: House Parade

Shop this outfit below:

Baton Rouge Towne Center at Cedar Lodge

Loft

THE LOFT, Women’s Fashion from feminine to casual, has been in business for over 20 years and has hundreds of storefronts in both outdoor and indoor mall locations. Loft at Towne Center treated us to a fun shopping and try-on session. The staff created try-on racks before our arrival, with the latest Spring fashion making it easy for us to spot and try on the latest pieces.

I always like to browse the shop and check out the displays, as that is one of the fun parts of shopping. Also, how I make sure not to miss something! In which I found these Navy Joggers, I knew at first glance that they would be like my favorite Level 99 joggers (in Camo) I found last year, and the Loft ones are 1/2 the price. Score! When trying them on in hopes they’d fit like my favorite pair, They did and I wished they had in several colors. (online they have Navy and Grey) Lisa and Cammi grabbed a pair as well. I told them they’d be their favorites and sure enough, they’ve worn on repeat.

: Shopping at Loft

: Girl Gang

: Loft Try On

: Best Joggers

: Spring Plain & Denim

Shop my Try on and Purchases:

Bumble Lane

(Bumble lane a fab Spa, Is At the Town center, But I will be talking about it on Friday)

Joining me in Sharing “Where to shop” The Chit Chat Chic girls. Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy. You’ll want to pop over to their blogs and see their outfit/photos and, sunglasses they shared.

Cindy= LuLuloves7

Lisa’s= Coast2coast

Michelle= Poised Petite

Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Photography provided by the talented Shey Allen @Sheyallenfilms.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. “What We Wore On Our Girls trip!” I would love it if you left a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

*Reminder to leave a comment or sign up to receive my blog or both for an entry in My MARCH MADNESS GIVEAWAY… I will be giving away over $500 in Beauty products to one lucky winner!

(no cash value, all entries will be entered into a random drawing, Every comment counts as an entry, and Signing up for blog counts as an entry. Ends March 31St and the winner will be notified on April 2nd.)

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

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Hello Pretty Ladies,

Are you ready for some fun Spring fashion? The second blog post on our New Orleans trip is about what we wore. The Brands we worked with, and some fun Fresh Spring Styles. We were lucky to work with some great Small business brands launching their brand New Spring arrivals and bring them to you first. We also worked with some well-known larger brands to bring you a variety. All the Chic Chat Chic Girls’ styles should be in stock and ready to ship. Perfect for you to take on your next trip, or add some Spring to your wardrobe!

Social Threads

A fun small business that carries great quality clothing and accessories at affordable prices. All of us girls are wearing the BEST selling Risen jeans in the same style, a vegan messenger bag in various colors, and a fun printed bag strap. (Look how cute the straps are! They make the bag!) Of course, we each got to pick a top of our choice as well.

Our Risen Jeans are soft, easy to wear, run big, and size down. The fun frayed hem gives edgy detail, great to pack on a trip, with so many ways to style. You’ll want this bag for your next vacation, as it holds everything hands-free and stays close to your body.

Social Threads gets new merchandise weekly, has several restocks on their best sellers a month, and has great fast shipping. Everything I get from Social Threads I wear on repeat. You’ll love supporting small by shopping with them.

: Vegan Messanger Bag

: Risen Jeans

: Bag Straps & Messanger

Shop the bags and the strapes below:

Shop the Risen Jeans:

Showing how I styled the Risen jeans, Paired with Social Threads super-soft Sprint weight tunic. You can wear off the should or boat neck style, comes in two colors. I chose the small messenger bag in black and leopard strap, as I knew it would work with a lot of my outfits and works well with so many looks. I finished the look with Valentino slides and a great hat adorned with the Gucci headband and gold accessories.

Shop my Look below:

Avara

This cute online boutique has a storefront in Texas with darling and affordable clothing and accessories. It was easy to find cute items to share with you, and you know I love supporting and sharing Women-owned small businesses.

I hope you will check them out next time you want a little something new. Here are 5 New Spring looks you’ll love from Avara.

: The Bag Detail

: Avara Top & Jeans

: Sleeve Detail

Shop My Look from Avara below:

Shop the Girls Looks below:

PrintFresh

Printfresh | 100% GOTS Organic Cotton Pajamas & Robes Shop All Shop our range of handcrafted, eco-conscious sleep and loungewear. With short sets, long sets, robes, nightgowns, sleep shirts, and separates, most available in sizes XXS – 6X, Spring releases are now in stock, and I know they’ll be your new favorite pajamas!

Print fresh just opened their first storefront in NYC, and you can shop conveniently online.

We love their fresh and fun, whimsical prints and mix and match separately.

: New Spring Realease

: This Bold Cheerful Stripe

: 3 Fun Prints

Print Fresh 15% off code DARCYVANDENBERG

Shop Print fresh Pj’s Below:

Evy’s Tree

Another great small business and also woman-owned. She started out designing sweatshirts and grew to create a brand specializing in easy-to-wear pieces for women—great quality pieces at affordable prices. New arrivals often, with great customer service.

Each girl was able to choose three pieces to style for you. (make sure to check out their blog post for more styling details.) I choose a cute army jacket with a hood, an oversized White button-up (I’ll share on our next post), and this darling blush-colored sequins jacket. Perfect for dressing up or down with jeans. Each piece was True to size.

Our Evy’s Tree we, unfortunately, can not link on LTK. Here is a discount code and Shopping link. Evy’s Tree

Code: DARCY20

Soma

Soma, owned by the Chico’s group, really does have the best bras and great loungewear/ Pj’s. If you haven’t tried anything from this line, you really should. I highly recommend all most everything from this brand. They have the only bra I’ll wear in every color. Here and I adore their lounge sets and pj’s. So very soft.

The cool night’s pj’s are perfect for midlifers.

Here’s what we choose from the new spring line…

: Soma Leopard Lounge set

: Add Denim Jacket

: Add Tennis Shoes

Shop my Soma Look below:

Vionic shoes

Vionic shoes for women and men provide arch support technology in the most up-to-date styles. Made with high quality and breathable materials such as durable leather and soft suede, our footwear is created for all-day wear so that your feet can be comfortable no matter where you are going.

Vionic can be purchased online and major retailers like Dsw, Zappos, etc.

Below we showcased their NEW Spring slippers with arch support.

Shop the Look below:

Spanx

Did you know Spanx makes more than shapewear? They do and let me tell you, their clothing line is amazing, and every piece flatters the body. Below we are all wearing the Spanx Denim flares. I hope you like how all of us choose to style them.

: Spanx Flare

: Details

: Flared Denim

Shop the Look below:

Cabana Life

Cabana Life Founded by a skin cancer survivor, Cabana Life has been on a mission to provide sun-safe and stylish solutions for nearly 15 years. Our line of sun-protective clothing, swimwear, and accessories is designed to keep the whole family protected from the sun without sacrificing style. Instead, we design fashion that works just as hard as you do…

All clothing is Spf 50 +Uv protection.

Shop the Look below:

Shop the Girls looks below:

WHBM

White House Black Market is an American women’s clothing retailer headquartered in Florida. The multichannel brand, founded in 1985, specializes in upscale clothing.

White House Black Market owns various clothing and accessories boutiques in the United States and Canada. They sell their tops, dresses, skirts, pants, jackets, outerwear, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Since 2003, White House Black Market has operated as a subsidiary of Chico’s

WHBM, Chico’s, and Soma are all found online and in Malls. We were able to pick out one complete outfit from head to toe. including, Layers, shoes, and accessories. (How fun, right) check out what we chose and how we styled it below.

Shop the Look below:

Joining me in Sharing “What we wore” The Chit Chat Chic girls. Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy. You’ll want to pop over to their blogs and see their outfits and what they shared.

Cindy= LuLuloves7

Lisa’s= Coast2coast

Michelle= Poised Petite

Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Photography provided by the talented Shey Allen @Sheyallenfilms.

BIG NEWS: March Madness Giveaway! Over $500 Worth of Beauty Products

*Leave a comment or sign up to receive my blog or both for an entry in My MARCH MADNESS GIVEAWAY… I will be giving away over $500 in Beauty products to one lucky winner!

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

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Where to Eat and Stay in New Orleans 1st in our New Orleans series.

Hello Pretty Ladies,

The Chit Chat chic girls just got back from a fun Galentine’s trip to New Orleans, as many of you know. So today, all the girls are sharing Where to eat and stay in New Orleans, and we will share where to shop, fun things to do and what we wore in a couple of other posts. So think of it as our New Orleans Series.

Where to Eat and Stay in New Orleans. What comes to mind when you say New Orleans? Jazz, Mardi gras, The French Quarter, Beignets,(recipe here) Pralines, (recipe here) Craw Fish, Beads, and Hurricane Drinks? (recipe here) That’s what I think of when I think of New Orleans, and this trip did not disappoint. We stayed at the Royal Sonesta in the heart of the French Quater (one of NOLA’s most historic neighborhoods) on the corner of the famous Bourbon Street, where gaslights flicker on every street, and Old charm meets new.

: Look at the details of these doors

: Brick and Iron,curved windows

: More Iron Details

: Color is everywhere

: Architectural charm

: Borbon Street Bar entrance

: Church view off Bourbon St

: The charm of the buildings

: look at all the iron

The Hotel couldn’t have been more charming with the ornate Iron grillwork details of french architecture, pretty fountains and quart yards, Hotel Suites with french doors opening to overlook the pool. Beautiful details throughout the Hotel. The staff was so welcoming and friendly. They went above and beyond to make your stay a pleasant one.

: The CCC Girls on Balcony

: The Balcony overlook pool

: Lobby

Not only is the Royal Sonesta located in a convenient location, but The French Quater also has all the restaurants, bars, and shopping you could want. But you can easily walk to Canel street, Cafe DuMond, take a cruise down the Mississippi river, catch the trolly to the Garden District, or Magazine street for boutique shopping.

: The otherside entrance

: View from the courtyard

: The entry

The Royal Sonesta conveniently has several restaurants on the property and The Jazz Play House for entertainment. Desire Oyster Bar, Bar R’evolution, and Pj’s Coffee

New Orleans is known for its good food. The taste of Nole is cajun driven with a lot of seafood, award-winning seafood gumbo, shrimp remoulade, po’boys, Beignets, Oysters, and a lot of flavors. So if you’re a foodie, you will enjoy your time in New Orleans.

View from the courtyard

Would you like to stay here and receive a discount?

15% off best available rates on stays Sunday-Thursday

Book by: February 28, 2021 Stay by: September 30, 2021

Promo code: RNOPR Use this link:

: Jazz PlayHouse

: Jazz PlayHouse

: Playhouse

: PlayHouse

: Jazz PlayHouse

: PlayHouse

The Jazz Play House, located on the property, has the sounds of the New Orleans embrace and charm. A vibrant nightlife with authentic jazz, serving drinks and bites. Michelle and I had the Elle Fitzgerald Martinis, and Cindy Had the French 45. The table shared a blue cheese wedge and crab cakes (Cammi needed to try out crabcakes at every restaurant!) Then finished off with a shared chocolate cheesecake.

NOTE: The Jazz Play House is a place to enjoy the music. It is not somewhere to go if you want to chat.

: Desire Oyster Bar

: Oyster Bar

: Desire Oyster Bar

Desire Oyster Bar is located on the Hotels property. Oyster Bar offers diners one of the most authentic dining experiences in New Orleans.

The menu features

Fresh Gulf Seafood
Award-winning Gumbo
Variety of Po’boys
Shrimp Omelet Etoufee
Biscuits and Gravy

Oysters: fried, chargrilled, or on the half shell
Fried Chicken & Waffles
Louisiana Crab Cakes
Blackened Catfish Lafitte
Shrimp Remoulade

Cammi, Had the crab cakes, and she would say these were in the running for Best along with Francois. The table had the Fries with Etoufee & shrimp (they decided they were not Etoufee fans). Cindy & I Had a chopped salad with grilled chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and a side of fries. (All very good) (Cindy and I had a salad with chicken almost everywhere we went)

(Now… the Host, let’s say they need a new one! He was the only rude/ no personable person in NOLA!) Thank goodness we only had a few minutes of him! The waitress made up for it. She was so sweet and very Happy!

Cheers

: Meet Texas

: The Girls

: Crab cakes again

: The Charcuterie Board

: Cheers

: Sharing a bottle

Bar R’evolution, also located on the property, is a beautiful mix of Old world & contemporary, serving chef-driven dishes and seasonal cocktails. Most of the produce and herbs are grown on a plantation farm in Baton Rouge. This bar is chic, hip, and packed. A reservation is recommended. Note: dress up…this was the only time we were underdressed!

PJ’s Coffee Start the morning off right with a Coffee poolside or, better yet, on your private balcony. Pj’s Coffee is located right off the lobby and serves various coffee drinks and pastries. A local New Orleans, Louisiana staple coffee house with several lotions throughout NOLA.

: Onion rings

: Francois Grill

: Our pick for Favorite Meal

Francois Grill & Bourbon Street Blues in Baton Rough

This restaurant is worth the drive to Baton Rouge from New Orleans. Located in the Perkins Rowe shopping district. (cute outdoor mall experience) Francois Grill is a cultural mix of Sicilian, French, and Cajun cuisine.

The onion rings were so good as a starter along with, You guessed it, Crab cakes:) The girls voted these the BEST crab cakes. I had the veggie omelet with a side of steamed veggies (cooked perfectly and with so much flavor) along with pan potatoes. A savory meal we all enjoyed. They have a full bar and live jazz music.

: steak Flaebread

: truffle fries

: Spiced pear salad with chicken

Bistro 77 is another excellent restaurant at Perkins Rowe in Baton Rouge. They are known for great drinks, charcuterie boards, and shared plates. Also serving delicious salads, known for gourmet flatbreads, and a great assortment of sandwiches and lobster mac and cheese. View the menu here

You guessed it, I had a salad, but not just any salad, a Spiced Pear and grilled chicken salad with an Apple vinaigrette and spiced candied nuts. It was so good. Cindy chose the same salad with steak, and everyone else chose a different flatbread and enjoyed their picks.

Cafe Beignet

: Cafe Beignet

: Music Legands Park

: A little info about the park

Outfits here are all Avara… We will talk about what we wore in the next series.

Cafe’ Beignet A quaint coffee and Beignet stand sits in the middle of Music legends Park. They are located right across the street from the Hotel, on bourbon street. With iron tables and chairs set all around the park and a small live Jazz band center stage. Statues of Jazz legends cast in Bronze cover the grounds. (the Beignets were good, But nothing is like a Cafe de Monde Beignet)

: Curio

: Crispy Chicken Salad

Curio

An American Cuisine with a creole soul, right around the corner from the Hotel. Recommended by the concierge at the Hotel. Had a fun Bar cafe vibe, with charming staff and great food. I had the Crispy Chicken salad with a balsamic dressing. The chicken was so yummy. I drank Ice tea by the gallon everywhere we went (unsweeten). Not a bad tea anywhere, all fresh, strong, and had free refills. The average price of every meal we had was about $18-20 for entree, Appetizers $10-15, Cocktail $7-15 with a tab for one, including a 20% tip of around $35 a meal.

: Sugar & Spice

: Pralines

: Chocolate & Coconut Pralines

Let’s talk Pralines for just a minute. Cammi and I were hunting to find the BEST Praline (Cammi had never had one). We hunted, tested, and tried out all of them, just for you! (hehe) and I am going to share our favorites and flops on another blog post…. so you’ll have to wait!

Ladies, it’s getting late, and I could even share more with you, but it’s just going to have to wait for another day.

Joining me in Sharing “Their review of NOLA” The Chit Chat Chic girls. Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy. You’ll want to pop over to their blogs and see what they’ve shared.

Cindy= LuLuloves7

Lisa’s= Coast2coast

Michelle= Poised Petite

Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Photography provided by the talented Shey Allen @ Sheyallenfilms

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. I would love it if you left a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

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Valentines Gifts for Him, Enticing All 5 Senses

Hello Pretty Ladies,

Can you believe January is already more than half over, and Valentine’s day is going to be here before we know it! So I thought it would be helpful to get a couple of gift guides out early to help you get some ideas for your guy.

Valentines Gifts for Him, Enticing All 5 Senses, Touch, Smell, Sight, Taste, and Hear.

Over the last couple of years, giving a gift that entices all of the 5 senses has been a big trend. So I thought this would be a fun theme for a blog post. Not necessarily to give a gift of each sense, but to create a gift guide theme and have gift ideas for each sense. You could choose to pick something for each sense or one special gift that suits your guy.

Here are some fun themes I came up with that have the 5 senses of gifts included in the theme gift guide.

The Homebody, Coffee Lover, Sweet lover, The Cocktail Lover, and The Selfcare lover

I Asked the Men in my Life some of the things they loved and thought would be fun gifts to get for Valentine’s day, and I threw in a few I thought would be fun to give. I hope you see something for the Man in your life. Something in every price point as well.

Coffee Lover

Sweet lover

The Homebody

The Cocktail Lover

The Selfcare lover

Joining me in Sharing “Valentine Gifts for Him” The Chit Chat Chic girls. Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy. You’ll want to pop over to their blogs and see what they’ve chosen as helpful gift ideas.

Cindy= LuLuloves7

Lisa’s= Coast2coast

Michelle= Poised Petite

Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. I would love to leave a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

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A quick introduction to Chit Chat Chic

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34 Top Things to Buy at Trader Joes

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

34 top things to buy at Trader Joe’s

34 top things to buy at Trader Joe’s

Hello Pretty Ladies,

I hope you are having a wonderful Sunday. If you have been following my blog or social media for a while, you know I have a love for shopping at Trader joes Market. So, I have composed a list of “34 top things to buy at Trader Joe’s” of some of my favorite items and how I use them. Hopefully, this list will help you on your next shopping trip, and maybe there is a couple of things you haven’t tried and now well.

34 top things to buy at Trader Joe’s

1. Glaze balsamic glaze= so good on salads, Italian dish Pizza, and bruschetta

2. Pesto Alla Genovese/Basil Pesto= great as a chicken marinate, great sauce for a quick Pasta dinner, excellent on garlic bread sprinkled with fresh Parmesan cheese, makes a yummy pizza sauce, To name a few.

3. Chunky Blue Cheese/dressing= This is one of the best Blue Cheese dressings, tastes great as a veggie or wing dip, is delicious on salads, mix with cream cheese to create a spread for sandwiches.

4. Salsa Authentic/ mild salsa = A great store-bought salsa that tastes homemade, add some grated cheese for a fun snack served with tortilla chips, use on Mexican dishes, eggs, and yummy on taco salads.

5. Mini carrot cakes muffins/dessert = A great dessert, snack, and treat! It tastes like homemade Carrot Cake and has the best cream cheese frosting.

6. Organic carrots of mini colors = make veggies fun and perfect for platters and serving with hummus. I also loved boiled drained served with butter, basil, and salt and pepper for a great side dish.

7. Kale & edamame salad= yummy on the go lunch

8. The Dark Chocolate Lovers = chocolate bar

9. Dried Pasta/ Tortellini with pesto filling=The product is of Italy, so affordable and fantastic as a cold salad with pesto and Parmesan cheese and cut-up tomatoes and olives. Or sever warm with your favorite sauce.

10. Cracked wheat sourdough bread= sourdough is one of the Best bread for you, and this one is one of the best pre-made ones. Buy a couple extra and freeze.

11. Sea salt Brownie petites= A simple treat with a subtle twist. Rich, Belgian chocolate brownies sprinkled in sea salt. A perfect little bite. My Boys love it.

12. Ciabatta Demi Baguette = Artisan-style bread perfect for a quick appetizer (shared on the blog ) or used to make a delicious panini. My boys love pastrami and cheese. I love Turkey, pesto, tomato, and avocado panini. See Recipe on Instagram.

13. Shaved Parmesan & Romano & Asiago Cheeses= Used on most of my pasta dishes & my hubby’s Alfredo recipes HERE the recipe below. Also perfect to top soups and salads.

14. Fresh Bruschetta Sauce= Roma tomatoes with olive oil, Basil & Garlic. This sauce is the sauce I use on my easy Appetizer recipe

15. Speculoos Cookie Butter = A deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits.

16. Everything but the Bagel Sesame seasoning blended with sea salt, garlic & onion. Perfect on avocado toast and vegetables, mixed into cream cheese for a dip, and my Favorite, incorporated into Plain Humus, so good!

17. Everything but the Elote seasoning blend= a mix of salt, Chili peppers, cheese, chipotle & cumin. Great for mixing in tacos, it’s excellent as a rub and perfect for anything you want to add heat.

18. Chili Lime seasoning blend= just the right amount of salt and heat. Another is great on Mexican food, a great rim on a spicy Margarita, and yummy sprinkled on tortilla chips.

19. BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee & garlic= great rub on meats and added to Your favorite BBQ sauce.

20. Raisin Rosemary Crisps= A crisps, savory and sweet cracker to complement cheeses, Dips, and Toppings. I love to keep it on hand for entertaining. It makes a quick appetizer and is excellent on the Charcuterie board.

21. Fig & Olive crisps= A crispy, Savory & Sweet cracker to Complement Cheese, Spreads, Dips, and Toppings. This one is my hubby’s all-time favorite cracker and another one great to keep on hand for entertaining and charcuterie boards.

22. Fresh flowers= they always have a great variety of seasonal flowers at great prices.

23. Seasonal Fruit= is almost always the product of USA and organic. Because it’s in season and they have excellent growers, it tastes so good.

24. Italian tomato Paste= Double concentrated Tomato paste. Perfect for sauces and stews.

25. Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup= (not the low sodium) It does not taste the same at all! this soup is a favorite soup at our home served with grilled cheese for an easy dinner

26. Carmelize onion cheese= is such a great flavor, perfect on a charcuterie board, perfectly paired with a salty cracker.

27. Frozen Pizza crust= is an excellent crust for creating your pizza!

28. Whipping cream in blue box= non-refrigerated, great for pantry stock items. It’s convenient to have on hand to make sauces ( hubbies Alfredo sauce), add to mashed potatoes for a creamy texture, and, of course, whip up a quick dessert… Because whipping cream can make anything fancy.

29. Honey roasted peanuts= A yummy salt sweet treat. My family can eat a bag whole! I love having on hand to add to a charcuterie board or placing in a bowl on a bar or coffee table for company.

30. Onion crunch= In a jar, it’s a great seasoning/sauce to have in the pantry. Taste great on bread or cracker for a savory snack. Delicious on a baked potato, great as an extra layer of flavor Pizza or garlic bread.

31. Lemon olives= So affordable, yummy added flavor to olive and great to keep on hand for Charcuterie boards make a great tamponade or snack.

32. Cauliflower Pizza crust = In the refrigerator section. (see my Turkey Panini recipe on Instagram)

33. Lemon Curd= One of the best-bottled lemon curds I’ve ever had. Great on scones, mixed into oatmeal, sourdough toast, pancakes, french toast, and waffles.

34. Vodka sauce= great flavor sauce; add a little extra garlic and some Italian cheeses for a fabulous quick pasta dish.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. ‘34 top things to buy at Trader Joe’s’ I would love for you to leave a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

You might also Like:

Selfcare Sunday

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9 Winter boots you need

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

12 Things to beat the Winter blues

12 Things to beat the Winter blues

Hello pretty ladies,

The holidays are over. Most of you have taken down and packed away Christmas. Some might be cleaning and organizing, and others might try to catch up.

The Cold & darkness of Winter is starting to get to you, and January & February feel so long. So here are a few of my tips that help me get through Utah’s long Winters. 2 Things to beat the Winter blues right now. 2 small things you can do for yourself and your home to help beat winter blues right now, easy & affordable.

12 things to beat the Winter blues

1. Freshen up your space, clean out clutter, change sheets and bedding(if you have a second bedding set. )Rearrange furniture and add some New throw pillows (Throw pillows are reasonable and add a pop of color or a fresh design.)

2. Add some plans or fresh flowers to your space. Flowers brighten a room. I love a couple of rosebuds on my nightstand, a new arrangement on the entry table, and one on the kitchen counter.

3. Paint your nails—something about having color on your nails that is cheery.

4. Go for a quick walk. Getting fresh air and moving for 30 minutes s helps your energy and mind.

5. Drink plenty of water, add some fresh fruit, lemon or limes, or strawberry and mint t a clear pitcher, and refrigerate. It’s pretty and refreshing. Drinking water is excellent for hydration, clear skin, and energy.

6. Place a bowl of Lemons, limes, and oranges on our counter or Dining room table. Not only is it pretty and Refreshing. It is affordable and fantastic for you to add to water or eat.

7. Get a spray tan or give yourself one. A tan always makes us feel like we’ve been on vacation or outside in warmer weather. My favorites are L’oreal and Great color, no streaking. L’oreals color is buildable and takes a couple of hours to start The BT Cosmetics Jet Set Sun is instant color and gets a little darker in time, also buildable.

8. Treat yourself to a blowout. It’s an affordable way to get your hair done, feel refreshed and lasts about a week.

9. Make sure to get 30 minutes of sunlight a day. Vitamin D is so important for your health and your mindset.

10. Eat a salad, most people of salad as a summer food, so eating salad tricks the brain into thinking it’s Summer. Instead, it is refreshing and healthy for you. Quickly on the go, I love the Market salad from Chic fil’A, and to make it at home, try a few of my easy salad recipes, Orange Chicken Walnut Salad and my Berry Salad.

11. Self-care- whether it’s 30 min or two hours, take time for yourself. I like to reserve an hour or two on Saturday or Sunday for self-care. Selfcare is not a selfish act, it is essential for your mind and body, and when you do so, you do better for others.

Here’s a little peek on Instagram of my routine and Here on the Blog.

12. Plan a trip; nothing like planning and anticipating a trip. It gives you something to look forward to and prepare for.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post on “12 things to beat Winter blues!” I would love for you to leave a few of your favorite tips below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

A Quick little introduction to Chit Chat Chic

A quick little introduction to Chit Chat Chic

Hello Pretty Ladies,

I hope your January is going well. Most of you know I belong to a beautiful group of mid-lifers Called Chit Chat Chic. 5 of us, Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy.

What is Chit Chat Chic?

We started CCC over a year ago. We all had crossed paths at some point on our social media and blog journeys, sparking a group Instagram share that Lisa organized…

This share started a dm, and we quickly became fast friends via Instagram. We shared several things in common: midlife, raising families, careers in social media marketing, fashion, beauty, and our faith.

Realizing we all clicked, loved this friendship and bond we had created, and loved the support system we had. So we decided to do more together, collaboration blog posts, Instagram shares, Pinterest boards, and a Marco Polo, where we chatted daily.

How Chit Chat Chic was born

Instagram launched a new feature, the 4-way Live option… I thought… this would be an excellent opportunity to share our combined knowledge and friendship and interact with our followers to build relationships with other midlife ladies on our platform.

Instagram Live is how Chit Chat Chic Was born.

We knew we needed to be consistent picking, a day and time that worked for everyone weekly…

Originally on Tuesday, at 6:00 pm Mnt. However, for 2022 we had to change it to Wednesday at 6:00 Mnt.

How Chit Chat Chic Live works!

We go Live on Instagram every Wednesday at 6:00 pm Mnt. With 4 CCC members ( 1 spot alternates out) for the week. 1 Host the live, with 3 co-hosts. ( occasionally a guest host) With any of our following or non-following tuning into the live on Instagram. A LIVE = in Live time with the ability to chat.

The Host picks a topic and has 6-7 questions prepared. Then, we discuss the question/ show samples if applicable and allow our following to be active in the conversation by typing their responses.

The Topic is different every week and varies from Midlife issues, fashion, helpful tips, and reviews on products.

Why Chic Chat Chic Live?

We love having this connection with our following, as we are building friendships and a community of women supporting women.

Having your following connect with you and you with them helps them get to know us from behind a screen and allows us to learn more of what our followers want and need.

What’s ahead for Chit Chat Chic?

We have had the opportunity to start traveling together and working with brands as a group. Last August, we were Host in Park City and had the chance to work with several businesses and brands, which was exciting and opened doors for more collaborations like this.

We have several Trips planned for 2022.

Chit Chat Chic Has its own Instagram account! And we’re thinking about a podcast. Exciting things ahead….so stay tuned.

I hope A Quick little introduction to Chit Chat Chic will help you to want to tune in live on Wednesdays at 6:00 Mnt. Here is a sample below of last week’s Live (my answers, Head to the other ladies’ blogs for their answers) Linked below … In addition, we will be recapping on our blogs for easy reference and shopping products we may have talked about!

Wednesday’s, Live Chic Chat Chic conversation Recap:

Wednesday 1/12/22

1. What was your most popular item sold from 2021? I had a tie for 3 things, The New Balance tennis shoe, Colleen Rothchild Hand cream, and Kut from the Kloth boyfriend jeans!

2. What was your most recent purchase for your closet? Lululemon Align leggings and Teddy coat

3. What was your most recent purchase for your home? Bed for one of our Guest rooms

4. What was your most recent beauty purchase? Nothing gifted!! Colleen Rothchild Hand Cream

5. Favorite workout leggings? Hard on for me, I love the Spanx, Athleta, and (The Lulu is my First pair, so I have to review)

6. Favorite workout product anything from amino acids to stretchy bands. Apple watch

The ladies blogs:

Cindy= LuLuloves7, Lisa’s= Coast2coast, Michelle= Poised Petite ,Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. ‘A quick little introduction to Chit Chat Chic’ I would love for you to leave a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I truly love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

9 Winter Boots from Nordstrom You’ll Love

9 Winter Boots from Nordstrom You’ll Love, Perfect from Winter to Spring, these boots will finish your outfit to the Toe.

Hello, Pretty Ladies! I have picked nine boots I wished I owned from Nordstrom to share today. A couple of these boots I own and trust me; I have a couple in my cart! Each pair has something special about them and is worth adding to your Winter boot collection (a couple of them could even be worn year-round). I shared a styling idea or tip under each boot’s info. I hope you love them as much as I do. (Thank you, if you use one of my links as I make a small commission at no cost to you.)

9 winter boots

1. Huey Studded Bootie

DOLCE VITA

studs and a lug platform sole give this versatile bootie a bit of a tough edge, but the style features an elasticized topline for easy on and off. SALE $97.47

*These Cute boots are perfect with any fall or winter outfit from Leggings to jeans.

2.Devin Waterproof Bootie

BLONDO

A faux-shearling cuff adds a cozy finishing touch to a lug-sole bootie that’s conveniently waterproof.

SALE $99

* How cute are these darling boots? Throw on a plaid Shacket, distressed denim jeans, and a thermal shirt for an adorable Winter look.

3.Izzie Genuine Shearling Lace-Up Boot

MARC FISHER LTD.

Plush genuine-shearling trim lends cold-weather appeal to a trendy boot set atop a lugged sole for traction on wet or dry surfaces.

*Here is a stylish and warm pair of boots you can wear Apre’ Ski or Grabbing a Coffee in Faux leggings and an oversize sweater.

4.Dagget Western Boot

JEFFREY CAMPBELL Ornate stitching furthers the rugged Western style of this iconic casual boot.

Northern Faux Fur Trim Boot

*Need a boot you can wear for every season? Here is the pair. They look great with Summer dresses, Fall jeans and blazers, Winter leggings and sweaters, and Springs eyelet dress and denim shorts and concert tees.

5.STEVE MADDEN

The lugged platform and chunky heel ground this lace-up boot with warm faux-fur trim and a stitched duck boot-inspired foot for a ruggedly modern city style.

Original Refined Matte Rain Boot

*Cream or Winter white is my a time favorite color to wear, and these boots would be perfect to finish off an All Winter white look. Paired with a Winter White Long Dress Coat!

6.HUNTER

Your favorite Hunter rain boot gets a sleek update in thinner, more flexible rubber with a striped buckle strap at the topline and a tailored, slimmer silhouette.

*If you don’t have a pair or two of Hunter boots, you’re missing out! Great from Spring to Winter. Great with Spring dresses, Skinny jeans, and leggings, this is a waterproof Boot that is outfit-friendly!

7.Serla Mule

DOLCE VITA

Braided detailing brings an eye-catching dimension to a versatile mule whose tapered stack heel balances Pointed Toe.

*A great slip-on bootie you can wear with jeans to trousers. Pair these cute little booties with your favorite pair of jeans, a sweater, and layer with a shacket or Jeans and favorite tee shirts and blazer. You really pair with hundreds of outfits.

8. Joan Uptown Waterproof Wedge Bootie

SOREL

Take on inclement weather in this waterproof leather boot lifted by a stacked wedge and grounded by articulated rubber treads.

*One of my favorite Winter boots and brands. Keep your feet toasty warm like a big snow boot, but give you style! The wedge adds height and creates a long leg. Great with leggings, skinny jeans, and a flare.

9.Payton Bootie

BØRN

Distressed leather gives this fashionable boot a worn-in appeal and is enhanced by the classic leather strap accents at the ankle and the inside zipper. SALE $99.99

*I love the color of this bootie, and it reminds me of a Freebirdboot at huge, huge savings. This little bootie could also be worn in every season, as it has a little touch of western to it, which helps it look great with Summer and Spring, flowy dresses, as well as Fall and Winter Jean outfits.

Shop All the Boots Below:

Joining me in Sharing “Seasonal Boots” Chit Chat Chic girls. Cammi, Lisa, Michelle, and Cindy. You’ll want to pop over to their blogs and see what they’ve chosen as helpful gift ideas.

Cindy= LuLuloves7

Lisa’s= Coast2coast

Michelle= Poised Petite

Cammi=Cammie’s Happy Place

Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog post. I would Love for you to leave a few of your favorite Picks below in the comments. You can also find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Liketoknowit, Amazon shops, and Facebook.

Have a beautiful day, pretty ladies,

You might also Like:

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This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own. I only promote brands that I genuinely love and believe in! Thank you for the support!

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The Beach Bag

The Cup

Sun Hat

The Towel

The Suntan lotion

SunGlasses

Books and Tunes

Extra’s

More Beach Bags

The importance of Taking Time to Date your spouse:

Why You Should Date your Spouse:

Here are a few great articles on the importance of Dating your Spouse:

11 Free Date Ideas:

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