The Beauty Of A New Adventure With The L'Oreal LUMI Compact

June 22, 2016

I was absolutely thrilled when I was asked if I wanted to collaborate with L'Oreal again! This time, the theme was Summer Travel + Travel Makeup Tips, to help promote their new LUMI Compact! Of course, that was also really exciting for me, because we travel so much, so I have packed for lots of road trips, and have actually experienced how hard it is to stay looking cute while traveling! It's sometimes more work than at home, because you don't have your regular setup.

Another fun fact about these photos, is that we would up shooting them while we were in the Port St. Joe and Cape San Blas area! It was absolutely gorgeous, and the place we stayed was the perfect setting for the shoot. If course, we probably had onlookers, but whatever!

I got my hair and makeup done professionally at a cute salon in Port St. Joe, called Salt Air Beauty and Hair Salon. I met one of the two owners that day, Angela, who did such incredible work! She is so inspiring and talented, and I definitely recommend her if you are ever in the area and need literally anything done! I even got eyelash extensions (for the first time, ever), which I think added a lot to the photos. Check out our images below, and visit the Dedicated Pinterest Board, here.

Click here to see my Dedicated Pinterest Board! I will be adding pins to it daily until early July.

HelloSociety + Our Social Campaigns

June 5, 2016

I wanted to use this space today to extend my gratitude to a wonderful company, HelloSociety. I've had the chance to visit them in Santa Monica, CA, three times, and have grown close with many of the team members. They're very inspiring to work with, and I love each and every project I complete for them.

Over the past few years, I have been a part of a large number of campaigns, where I created content for brands and shared those images with almost 1.5 million people. Check out my page in their Influencer Lookbook, here. Most of this would not have been possible without the support of them! I have blogged about many of these projects, so you may be familiar with some or all of these, but I just wanted to share a few of my all-time favorite projects with HelloSociety!

You can find HelloSociety around the web!

Pinterest // Instagram // Facebook // Twitter // Their Blog

Clinique Lip Pop Lipstick + Clinique Pop Glosses

June 3, 2016

Today, I am introducing some really amazing lipstick & lipgloss from Clinique! Their new summer lip products are just so beautiful, and they're all very lightweight - perfect for summer!

Above, Clinique pop glaze in "02 melon drop pop".

Items shown in this post:

Clinique Pop Oil in 01 poppy glow + 02 nectar glow (find them here)

Clinique Pop Lacquer in 01 cocoa pop + 09 nude pop (find them here)

Clinique Pop Glaze in 02 melon drop pop + 03 fireball pop (find them here)

Pendleton Beach Towel (similar here)

Lucky Brand Multicolor Caribbean Crush Tie Dye Bikini

Impressions...

I really loved the first impression of this line of Clinique products. My definite favorite of all of these products was the Clinique Pop Glaze in Melon Drop Pop.

What The Websites Say:

Pop Lacquer Lip Color + Primer (At Ulta) - "A luscious pop of liquid, high-shine colour in one, full-coverage coat. Luxurious yet lightweight formula with built-in primer glides on effortlessly, wears for up to 6 hours". Not overly sticky and does not dry out my lips!

Pop Glaze Sheer Lip Colour + Primer (At Ulta) - "A pretty pop of bold yet see-through colour + smoothing primer in one coat. Luxurious yet weightless formula with built-in primer glides on effortlessly, wears for up to 8 hours. Keeps lips comfortably moisturized instantly and over time". Melon Drop Was My Fave!! Lighter texture and weight than traditional lipstick, and does not dry out your lips at all. The two shades featured in this post include: Melon Drop + Fireball Pop (a very vibrant red that is a bit more sheer, and offers lots of moisture). Satin smooth without any bad smell or taste.

Pop Oil Lip & Cheek Glow (At Saks Fifth Avenue) - "A subtle pop of dewy color for lips and cheeks. This nourishing tint with safflower, jojoba and sunflower seed oils feels luscious yet lightweight. Fluid-gel formula slips on with ease thanks to a convenient wand applicator that delivers the perfect amount every time. Apply tinted color on cheeks and lips. Blend quickly with fingertips". You can use this sheer color on either your cheeks or on your lips. This is nice and light, and is easy to apply.

Cape San Blas & Port St. Joe Peninsula State Park

June 1, 2016

We visited Florida recently to help family, and had a nice time visiting the St. Petersburg and Tampa area (check out my post here).

I wanted to share a few shots I took while at the adorable condo in the Barrier Dunes neighborhood that we rented for a few nights before we headed back home. I loved how gorgeous the sunset was from this beach, and how we could walk right to it from the condo.

The condos are also located very close to the entrance to St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, where we got to swim and enjoy the ocean. The sand near our place was silky soft, and the ocean in the park was clear, warm, and went knee deep for a lot of the area.

We were about a 30 minute drive from the town of Port St. Joe, where you can find places to eat, and cute boutiques. We also found food at Coneheads (which is being renovated, but was still open for daytime hours luckily. It's located right outside the park and neighborhood. We also ate at Sand Bucket Smokehouse (amazing BBQ and sides!!) and Triple Tails (amazing fettuccini alfredo with chicken - I don't eat seafood, so this was great!), both less than 10 miles away.

The food at Coneheads was really lovely. One day we all got big Caesar salads with fried chicken or shrimp on top. Definitely ask for the honey mustard dipping sauce and a root beer float here.

FUSS Boutique in Port St. Joe was adorable! I got an awesome suit there, and they have a lot of nice Free People clothing item. Everything was easy to wear, elegant, and perfect for the warm Florida weather.

Trail To Tavern - Breweries, Bottle Shops, and Bars Near St. Petersburg and Tampa, FL

May 30, 2016

We just got back home from spending a bit of time in Florida. As you know, we love the craft beer scene, and we had heard a lot of good things about the breweries and beers originating in the Tampa area. St. Petersburg is nearby, and sees like the mecca of craft beer in the central gulf coast area of Florida.

Toad&Co. reached out to me again about featuring this story on their blog, and helped me brainstorm about this post. Their mission, of being the first Trail To Tavern clothing company really inspired me! Check out another blogger's Trail To Tavern Story on the Toad&Co. blog, here.

UPDATE: Check Out My Feature On The Toad&Co Blog Here

In this post, I will share some of the best places to find good beer and blaze an urban trail in central Florida! I will also show you some of the places to walk around before grabbing a beer in these wonderful places.

We drove across bridge the Howard Frankland Bridge, from Tampa to St. Petersburg on the quest for good beer! You get to see ocean on both sides of you the whole time!

American Craft Beer Week was coming to an end, and the South Florida Craft Beer Week happened earlier in the year.

Green Bench Brewing

1133 Baum Ave North, St. Petersburg, FL

Green Bench Brewing is located in a hip area of St. Petersburg, FL. There are murals everywhere, good food, shops, and palm trees galore. The weather was HOT, but a cold beer made the warmth so much more enjoyable!

Green Bench Brewing is super dog friendly! We met this cute little German Shepard puppy, who was 3 months old!

Green Bench really filled up after a bit. Both side their facility, as well as a huge crowd outside, I was so happy to see so many people enjoying good beer.

Bodega

Address

We got a Cuban sandwich and a very healthy smoothie from Bodega. It was very good! So glad some locals we met at Green Bench told us to check this place out.

Shep's Bottle & Keg

2001 4th St N. - Saint Petersburg, FL

We really liked the amazing selection of bottles in Shep's. They had just about every Florida beer you would ever want, some great collaboration beers (where two breweries collaborate on a style/flavor), and one employee in particular, spent time showing us around, explaining a bit about the area, and knew a lot about beer in general. She was very helpful, and seems like she would love to help just about anyone learn more about craft beer.

Salvador Dali Museum

1 Dali Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Although we just checked out the exterior of this building, it was stunning! It would basically cost $50 for two people to visit, $10 for parking, and $20 each person to get in. You can still enjoy the restaurant or interact with a couple of outdoor exhibits. We did enjoy the incredible architecture and outdoor art installations at this venue, though. The museum was right across from a marina, and the whole area was beautiful, covered in palm trees and vibrant landscaping.

Jug & Bottle Bottle Shop

Seminole Heights Neighborhood, Tampa, FL

Jug & Bottle Dept. had a stunning selection of beer and wine. You an even grab a beer on draught, and shop while you sip. They also had a good assortment of snacks and a few grocery items. Definitely stop by this place on your way to a friend's house if you need something to bring!

Jug & Bottle Dept. - located at 6203 N Florida Ave - Tampa, FL 33604

Vintage Bottle Openers at Jug & Bottle Dept. - located at 6203 N Florida Ave - Tampa, FL 33604

Independent Bar & Cafe

Seminole Heights Neighborhood, Tampa, FL

While at Jug & Bottle, we talked to some of the nicest employees of theirs. They explained the FL craft beer scene to us, and recommended that we grab a bit to eat at Independent Bar & Cafe. We grabbed one of the best drinks I have ever, ever had - the Brewski Slim Pickens Make Mama Proud Passionfruit Sour. My, oh my, this was so refreshing in the intense heat and humidity of the Tampa area. I guess this is pretty hard to find, so you will have to visit Independent Bar & Cafe to get it.

They were also hosting a Founder's Tap Takeover, and people were definitely there for the beer. There was a cute outdoor seating area, that actually had giant outdoor air conditioners, providing everyone who wanted to sit outside with a fresh cool breeze.

I definitely recommend this place!

Cycle Brewing

534 Central Ave - Saint Petersburg, FL

I absolutely loved the neighborhood around this brewery, and they have very limited bottle releases (meaning they only bottle a limited number of beers per year, and there is a limit on the number of bottle each person can buy).

They serve only their beers, and you have to actually go there to try them.

I loved grabbing a beer here and then exploring the few blocks in one direction, from the front of the brewery.

It really seems like the people who frequent this brewery know a lot about beer and all seemed very happy to be there! You can definitely grab a drink here before or after dinner, and enjoy the many, many restaurants within just a few blocks of Cycle Brewing.

St Pete Hyppo (Gourmet Ice Pops)
627 Central Ave
Saint Petersburg, Fl 33701

The Cider Press Cafe

601 Central Ave.
St Petersburg, Florida 33701

I didn't eat here, but the food and drinks looked SO good! Everyone thee seemed to be enjoying a cute stemmed glass of cider and fresh meals.

Milo's Cafe Style Tea - Organic Summer Refreshments

May 23, 2016

Summer is less than a month away, and we have been poolside in Florida for the last week or so. Don't get me wrong - we are here on a mission - it hasn't been all fun and games. We have been working very hard, helping family members pack up their house to move, which makes this little bit of relaxation and refreshments all the more well-deserved. Near the Tampa area, it has been over 90 degrees every day, and super high % humidity, so a nice glass of Milo's Café Style iced tea is something to really look forward to. It's literally been getting us through these hot days, and it's really good!

I love that Milo's Cafe Style Tea is organic, and is super affordable (less than $2.50 per bottle). I found it in the refrigerated juice section at Walmart, (it's refrigerated because they contain all natural ingredients). Check out this Store Locator to see if it is available near you. I could hardly wait to get home before I opened the bottle and poured it over a big glass of ice and practically drank the whole glass at once. I chose two flavors, the Light Sweet Tea and the Light Green Citrus - both use all organic cane sugar or organic stevia as sweeteners - very nice and light. Neither of them were overly sweet, which is more refreshing in my mind than the type of tea that is overly sweetened.

Milo's Café Style Tea is pretty new, affordable, and fresh brewed. It's organic, all-natural, and contains NO preservatives. You can definitely tell the difference between this and the styles of tea with artificial ingredients and tons of sugar - this tea is WAY WAY better. This tea contains no acids, which is wonderful for those of you who are concerned about that affecting you.

Café Style teas are brewed from USDA Certified organic tea leaves and are sweetened with organic sugar or lightly sweetened with organic stevia. The lighter flavors are a blend of organic cane sugar or lightly sweetened with organic cane sugar and stevia.

To learn more about Milo's, check them out across social!

Milo’s Cafe Style Tea Website

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Milo’s Tea, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #TastetheMilosDifference http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Beertography - Cool Photos Of Craft Beer

May 18, 2016

It's no secret, we LOVE craft beer! I thought it would be fun to take some professional photos of a few of the beers we have had recently. Most of them are pretty darn good! Hope you enjoy!!

Xocoveza Mocha Stout by Insurgente + Stone BRewing

Midas Touch - by Dogfish Head - Handcrafted Ancient Ale

Do you like craft beer? What's your favorite beer style and breweries?

Lily The Wandering Gypsy in Cave Creek, AZ

Cave Creek, AZ - The Grotto Cafe At Red Truck Trading

May 15, 2016

We found The Grotto through TripAdvisor (as we do with most places we eat on vacations), and loved the food and atmosphere here! We could bring Cabbie, our Chocolate Lab, onto the patio area, and she has a great time just checking all the people and other dogs out as we enjoyed our lunch.

The food was out of this world, and the setting was even better. Finding a spot in the shade to eat outside in Arizona is a dream, and this place was one of the loveliest places we ate while in Arizona this past March.

Find the Grotto Cafe at 6501 E Cave Creek Rd #8, Cave Creek, AZ 85331.

The BBQ Pork sandwich was amazing!

The Grotto Cafe is very dog friendly. In fact, most of the patrons had pups with them. One woman had THREE :) There were free dog treats on the patio, which were in this cute mailbox, below.

My grilled cheese panini was just right. I liked the chips and pickle that came on the side, and that strawberry smoothie cooled me off on a rather warm afternoon - it was really, really good!

The residents of Cave Creek are sometimes called Creekers, and some of them are talented artists.

Just look at this Cobb Salad! It tasted even better than it looked, and was so filling.

This little guy, below, was a good sport. His mom said he was a rescue dog and generally very timid. But he put on a big smile for me and my camera. See, dogs love this place!

Carbondale Community Farmer's Market - Weeks 1 & 2

May 3, 2016

So we have a new(ish) Farmer's Market in Carbondale. It happens every Wednesday afternoon from 3-6 pm. Tomorrow marks the third week, and I love the whole vibe of this market so much. The Carbondale Community Farmer's Market began operating out of the Carbondale Community High School a few years ago, and also hosted Carbondale's only Winter Farmer's Market. They wanted to provide a summer market to the city that serves this vibrant community, and wanted to help make local, small-batch, and organic produce and products available. The market is really wonderful.

Feel free to check out my two photo Facebook albums: Week 1 ~ Week 2

Scratch Beer offers refreshing craft sodas at the market, as well as home made croutons and other bread items and mixes.

All Seasons Farm - All Local, All Organic

Week 1 ~ Week 2

Erin Pelicano Jewelry

April 29, 2016

I absolutely love photographing anything from Erin Pelicano. I was so inspired by the city of Santa Fe, because of the gorgeous architecture, and the history of the buildings and my surroundings. I absolutely LOVE the fact that so many of the doorways, doors, and other parts of the buildings are painted mint or blue. Erin's necklaces always arrive wrapped in light blue tissue paper, so I thought that the mint railing would be the perfect place to photograph her necklaces. I also utilized an adorable courtyard (that I had all to myself!), and was able to work on her photos near a fountain and lots of pretty early Spring flowers. Such a magical place to work! I had so much fun with this project, and I hope you enjoy!!

Erin Pelicano + Lily The Wandering Gypsy

And, of course, these necklaces are wonderful gifts for Mother's Day and beyond! I have given these to various women in my family, and they are wearing them every time I visit! Erin Pelicano jewelry is always made from either real silver or gold, which I think sets her work far above the rest!

Find Erin Pelican Jewelry On The Web

Learn more about Erin Pelicano Jewelry on her website.

If you are in need of product photography for your goods, please comment below, or feel free to Contact Me for quotes! I would love to help you capture the beauty of your products.

Chocolate + Cashmere - Santa Fe, NM

April 21, 2016

I was so impressed by Chocolate + Cashmere in Santa Fe. The store was a breath of fresh air, and I literally never wanted to leave :) The sign itself drew me into this boutique during my final hour of shopping time in Santa Fe, on the last day we were there. They were one of the last shops open this night, so I was very fortunate to be able to stop in, take some photos, and grab a few chocolates. Chocolate + Cashmere is located at: 109 East Palace, Santa Fe, NM 87501. They also have a location in Taos, NM.

Chocolate + Cashmere proudly offers Golightly Cashmere (learn more here).

Local Santa Fe chocolates available, in so many amazing flavors.

I absolutely loved the necklaces. They were a bit out of my price range, at about $300 each, but they were locally handmade, and stunning!

Chocolate + Cashmere displays all of the available colors of cashmere on a wall display (below).

And, the chocolate again!

Isn't this store just beautiful!

Toad&Co And Our Road Trip Through Joshua Tree

April 3, 2016

Joshua Tree National park was one of the most incredible parks we have ever visited. We have been to National Parks, and this one takes the cake! We also got incredibly wonderful light the day we drove through, so that was even more perfect than I could have ever imagined.

The National Parks We Have Visited Include:

Saguaro, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain, Hawaii Volcanoes, Yellowstone, Glacier, Badlands, Arches, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Zion, Shenandoah, Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Grand Teton!!!

Aah, memories!! I was also super happy that I could bring along some new items from Toad&Co. The Gemma Dress is beyond amazing! Perfect for the warmer weather we experienced while in the southwest in March. It fits like a dream, has a stretchy drawstring waist, perfect pockets, and is made from a stretchy material that I just love. Learn more about the Gemma Dress here. This dress is amazing because the length is perfect. And, this is the only dress that I have worn on a windy day that stays put! Couldn't believe it, but it's completely amazing.

I was so happy when I spotted the first Joshua Tree (in the first photo in this post)!!! Definitely the most unique and quite beautiful trees I have ever seen, and I love the look of them so much. Around that time, I also saw some of the first rock formations, which looked very smooth from far away, but were actually very rough, and very grippy - which is probably perfect for climbing. The rock shapes also seemed very conducive for climbing.

I also brought along these Jetlite Pants, which were comfortable to wear for hours and hours! They were amazingly comfortable, and a bit of a higher waisted design, which has soft elastic. I could not believe how well these fit! And, if you wear them with a shorter cropped shirt, you can show off your cute silhouette in these whether you're road tripping, hiking, lounging, in the office, or shopping.

We entered Joshua Tree from the entrance east of Coachella (by about 20 miles), and at first, all we saw were smaller yucca style plants, which looked like what I would assume Joshua Trees look like when they are young. No rock formations, and not much of anything, just desert. Then, we drove a little more, and the road started to snake around a bit more, and it was surprisingly 45 mph through most of the park. We began to see tons and tons of Jumping Cholla, which are all over Arizona, so that was pretty cool.

Bobby had backpacked in the park before I even knew him, and he told me about the amazing campgrounds, rock formations, climbers, and these mysteriously strange looking trees...Joshua Trees, but I still hadn't seen either of these things. We could begin to see mountains all around us and I was beginning to get super excited, because mountains make me happy :)

The Joshua Trees began to get thicker, and they basically took over the landscape, amongst these awesome rock formations, all at a bit of a distance, but very majestic. Like I said, the light was incredible this day, and we were in the park just before sunset. Stunning!!!

Thanks for checking out my road trip, and these awesome clothes from Toad&Co. Perfect for a road trip to just about anywhere! Have you ever been to Joshua Tree?

The Tame Flat Iron by Vanity Planet - LOVE this!!!

March 26, 2016

I absolutely love my new Tame Flat Iron by Vanity Planet. If you will remember, I created a post for VP earlier this year, talking all about their Pure Spin Facial Brush, and love it too. Their products are extremely well-made, and I am so lucky that I have been able to upgrade a few of my beauty tools lately, thanks to Vanity Planet!

VP was kind enough to send me this Tame Flat Iron so I could share it on my blog. As soon as I opened the Tame, I practically did a happy dance! I am so impressed by the wonderful quality of this tool. It heats up in a minute or so, which is about 15 minutes less than my old (and soon to be donated) flat iron. I am so thankful to have a new, reliable tool that treats my hair very gently, it has Titanium plates.

The Tame Flat Iron heats up from 150 degrees - 450 degrees with a push of the up and down buttons. So easy!

I also wanted to share my current favorite heat protect product, by Salon Grafix - the Protein Shaping Styling Mist. It's great because I don't really like a lot of scent in my hair products. This one literally has no scent and works really well!

To Use...

Hold the power button for 3-5 seconds, and you will see the temp appear. Use the up arrow button to turn the tool up as high as you might normally set it. I have natural hair that is only lightly color treated. I found that 300-320 degrees worked best for my hair while in California with humidity, and here in Arizona (with NO humidity) I used about 280-300 degrees, and it worked like a dream! So glad to have this amazing Flat Iron, check it out for yourself here. This flat iron was absolutely perfect to bring on our road trip!

"Tame has an Additional Negative Ions Generator that keeps your hair healthy as you style. Designed for all hair types...To enhance your experience, the Tame includes a 360° Swivel Cord for tangle-free styling as well as a Handle Lock Mechanism for easy storage. It also comes with an auto shut-off mechanism that kicks in after 60 minutes of use. Every aspect of this iron’s design was constructed with convenience in mind. The soft touch coating prevents slippage and makes the iron comfortable to hold. Whether you want a sleek, straight look, or bouncy curls, the Tame consistently provides professional-caliber results that will make you want to show off every new hairdo."

Overall impressions are really wonderful for this Tame Flat Iron! Thanks to Vanity Planet for the wonderful tool!

Honeywell Lyric Thermostat

March 23, 2016

This thermostat ROCKS! Check back later today for easy DIY instructions on how to install the Lyric Thermostat!

Honeywell Lyric Thermostat + Lily The Wandering Gypsy

Lemon Sorbet Recipe And Video

March 8, 2016

So, we are here in Arizona for March, and the lemon tree at my parent's house was just calling my name! I decided to make my first YouTube video about a wonderful lemon sorbet recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 Cups Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice (About 12 Lemons)

- 2 Cups Water

- 1 - 1.5 Cups Sugar (White Sugar or Cane Sugar). I used 2 cups and it was too sweet.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Juice lemons, and make sure there are no seeds. Set aside.

Heat water and sugar in a medium saucepan, until sugar has dissolved.

Add lemon juice to sugar water, and stir until combined.

Pour lemon juice mixture into a Pyres or container with a lid, and put into freezer for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

When frozen, scrape the sorbet with a fork, and then serve! This sorbet will stay good in the freezer for about 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Tune Up Cafe - Santa Fe, New Mexico

March 2, 2016

We headed further west after we left the Denver area, and stayed at a hotel about an hour from Santa Fe. We decided to grab lunch on the way through town, and so I Trip Advisored the highest rated restaurants in Santa Fe.

There were SO many to choose from, and I thought the Tune Up Cafe looked good. Well, it was!

Their portions were huge, though, so we had leftovers for days following :) I would even recommend that two people split a dish here. I'd also love to try their breakfast foods, which I always regret not getting.

And, even though it was pretty warm outside, I still got myself a hot chocolate. It was wonderful, probably the best thing I had that day.

And, although the front part of the restaurant was packed and bustling, the back part was completely open. Looked like they had some pretty good beers on tap.

Bobby got his current go-to menu item, the Cuban Sandwich. Their fries were also pretty darn good. Just look at all of those layers of goodness! Ham, Swiss, BBQ Pork, Mustard, Onions, and Pickles...odd but incredible combo!

ACROSS THE STREET...

I love the architecture of the homes in the southwest. The tan adobes and the washed out and faded colors that have been blasted by the sun for years. It's ALWAYS bright here, so bring your best sunglasses!

ALSO IN NEW MEXICO

- Hangar Bottle Shop in Albuquerque. This was a pretty small place, and had only been open 10 months, but they had a great selection for the size of the store. I wish we could have spent more time downtown, because it was really cute. Seems like there are a few great places to catch a concert, have dinner, or grab a drink in this college town.

Cool Stuff To Do In Denver - Mostly Beer + Food

February 28, 2016

We recently stopped in the Denver / Lakewood, CO area for a few days on our way out to Arizona, and had a blast! Check out all of our stops below, and comment if you have been to any of these :)

Crooked Stave Brewery / The Source (Website)

This place was absolutely incredible! This building used to be an old steel factory, and it appears that they gutted it down to the bare bones. This building contains several different businesses with a communal and very open area in the middle. The ceilings are super tall, and there is natural light pouring in from everywhere. This sits in a rather industrial area, which is surrounded by lots of new apartment buildings and other breweries and restaurants, and of course a bit of construction. I would assume that this area of Denver will be finished in no time!

Crooked Stave brews/creates mostly sour beers, which I am a big fan of these days. Their beers are definitely pricey, but worth a try!

The Source - Denver - Lily The Wandering Gypsy

Crooked Stave Brewery - Lily The Wandering Gypsy

Crooked Stave Brewery - Denver - Lily The Wandering Gypsy

Great Divide Brewery (Website)

We had passed by Great Divide on the way to Crooked Stave. In fact, it was almost right across the street. The thing that really caught our eye at this place was the massive amount of barrels on display (and in use) here. They have a really amazingly decorated barrel bar, which they decorated with lots of pieces of wood from past barrels. We had a good time sampling lots of different beers, and it was fun comparing all the different styles and flavors.

The beers are decent here, and the prices are incredible. Their samples of regular beers are $1 for 3 oz, and $3 for their barrel aged and more rare stuff. 4 of us got out of there for under $20!

Some of the beers available at Great Divide.

- Mockery Brewing (Website)

I'm sure this happens a lot, but as we were sitting in Great Divide, I saw yet another brewery in the back of the parking lot called Mockery Brewing. Another impeccably designed brewery, with a smaller yet very open feel, as well as copper and cool signage behind the bar. Their beers were only $5 each and very strong!

The Wheat Around The Bush Boysenberry Wheat Wine

- Wynkoop Brewery (Website)

This place was pretty nice. We sat on the upper level, which had about 15+ pool tables, and lots of nice open area. This place was a bit more expensive than we would usually go for, but it was a nice place to meet friends in downtown Denver. The exposed brick (which was a theme for literally every place we went in Denver), was just beautiful. I loved the photos they displayed in this building, by photographer Patrick Andrade. He uses tin type to capture modern brewers and their process. Learn more.

Wynkoop Brewery - Denver - Lily The Wandering Gypsy

- Denver Biscuit Co (Website)

My, oh my! What a great way to start the day! Everything on the menu pretty much revolves around these luscious biscuits, and they're amazing. I got biscuits and gravy, and I think everyone else got a biscuit sandwich of some sort. Each plate looked better than the last and I definitely hope to visit again soon!

Denver Biscuit Co - Denver - Lily The Wandering Gypsy

While in Denver, we also checked out Teller's and Rock Fire Pizza. Both really great!

And, we didn't stop there! Colorado has the absolute best beer selection of literally anywhere we have ever visited, so we found a few other places to find things to take home. Some of the places we would definitely recommend include: Mondo Vino, Grapevine Wine & Liquor - (make sure to check out the Beer Cave!!), and Applejacks near Lakewood.

Coaltrain (Colorado Springs) (Visit Their Site)

Keep up with our travels on Instagram {here}! We have lots more of this adventure to go...

Create + Cultivate Dallas!

February 3, 2016

Wow! Just got back a few days ago from Dallas, and I have all sorts of things to share with you. The main theme that the presenters, speakers, and mentors kept saying was to STAY AUTHENTIC. I love this because I have been completely under the impression that it is best to stick to one topic when blogging if you want to be successful. And, while this business model does work well for some, it is not the only way that you have to do things.

The other super important take-away for me, was that I have GOT to develop a BUSINESS PLAN if I want my blog to be my full time business! (Which I do). So I already have a journal dedicated to this very purpose, and I cannot wait to share a bit of that with my readers along the way, throughout 2016.

THE CONFERENCE...

Let me begin by saying that this was the most inspiring event I have aver attended. There were loads of fashion bloggers, creative women, adorable food and drinks, and great people watching! I didn't really realize the event was going to be mostly fashion influencers/bloggers, but it was great to see who is out there, and basically "who I am blogging beside".

They really did a lovely job decorating the Lofty Spaces, and every single inch of the place was like a perfect Instagram moment!

It was amazing seeing so many talented and motivated millennials who all want to run an online business or blog. There were people with quite a wide range of talents, as well as people who were at just about every stage of the game, from people who were just still conceptualizing their brand, blog, and business, to those who had been blogging for ten years, and were basically "social celebrities".

SOME KEY NOTES...

Some of the important notes I took include:

- To be inspiring, you need to also be inspired!

- Create a business that fulfills a need that people have.

- Take intelligent risks.

- your business pan needs to allot for revenue gain and need to be sustainable.

- Stay authentic

- You need to have a MISSION DRIVEN BUSINESS.

- Keep your original mission in mind the whole time you run your business.

- To be an entrepreneur, you need two things - WORK ETHIS & PASSION.

- Trust your voice

- You need a specific vision and voice.

- Curate, Collaborate, and Create

- Stay ahead of the trends

- Offline Interactions are even more important than those you are having online!

- Speaking engagements can bring in more money than blogging alone.

- Engage in platforms that facilitate communities.

NYLO DALLAS + PECAN LODGE BBQ

Wow, the NYLO Dallas was incredible! Really lovely rooms with tall ceilings and large bathrooms.

I'm Heading To Create + Cultivate!

January 24, 2016

Create + Cultivate is less than a week away and I am so excited! This will be my second conference, and I have been following their social accounts religiously. I am always so concerned with what to wear to events like this, so I got myself a couple of new dresses and cannot wait to get packed for Dallas!

Short Sleeve Stretchy Patterned Dress - Found Here

These are the two dresses I got, one for the Friday night happy hour, and one for the event on Saturday. I love that these dresses won't wrinkle in my suitcase, too. I will be looking for some cute heeled booties to go with both of them! I also need to find myself an adorable new notebook, spiral preferably, and a new purse! Since I work from home, I do not traditionally wear office attire on a daily basis, so I always have to get something new when I am attending anything dressy. Totally fine with that, though :)

I also got myself some new business cards from moo.com! They are triple thick, with a neon pink layer in the middle. They are so great! Last time I got a simple black layer inside, but the pink is even more eye catching in s fun and unique way. Click To Get 10% Off Your First Purchase!

My New Business Cards! Find Me On Instagram Here.

Can't wait to share some pictures of the event soon!