Lifestyle Archives - Page 5 of 17 - Twenty Something Plus

May 3, 2016

Anniversary Dinner at Ballo Italian Restaurant

When invited to dine at Ballo Italian Restaurant, the timing couldn’t have been any more perfect. The manfriend and my anniversary was coming up, so we figured why not make it an early dinner and spend the night at Mohegan Sun.

One of our favorite things to do together is to eat. And Ballo saw to it that we did!

I wanted to try a spring dish so I ordered the Scallops and Shrimp, while the manfriend went a little more classic with the Chicken Parmigiana.

Literally everything from the bread to dessert was an exquisitely delicious treat. I won’t pretend to be a food critic, but as far as Italian food goes, I really liked everything. Especially their special Sunday pasta sauce and the hazelnut gelato toped with expresso! The manfriend even said it was one of his best dining out experiences. He’s a pretty picky eater, so that is really saying something! We wouldn’t have spent our eighth anniversary anywhere else.

The atmosphere and ambience is perfect for an intimate date night, although not necessarily the best for showing off one’s amateur photography skills…

If you go, I recommend visiting on a Sunday and asking about their special Sunday pasta sauce!

Thank you so much to Ballo Italian Restaurant for the invitation for us to sample your amazing dishes! All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

April 26, 2016

Running with The Racktrap

Feeling inspired by everyone that ran in the Boston Marathon, I’ve decided to take my own training a little more seriously.

Not for anything specific, I don’t foresee even a 10K in my future. Maybe a 5K, I’ve done a few fun ones before, but even that isn’t really my speed. Although, a friend reminded me that there is an annual 5K that’s coming up pretty soon in my hometown. There’s still plenty of time for me to get into shape before race day, so it is an option worth taking into consideration. I don’t know, though. I really just want to continue my quest to be a little more healthy than I have been lately.

Can’t lie, having cute workout clothes has been helpful for motivating me to get up and run, and having The Racktrap to hold my cash, debit card and license in is also a huge help. You can’t always trust your pockets to hold everything in place, but The Racktrap does. I really like the sweatproof one, because I am usually a sweaty mess after any about of physical exertion.

It’s great for keeping all your small essentials with you, right in your bra. After a run, I can very easily go to Target to pick up a Starbucks smoothie.

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April 25, 2016

Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links.

Even Better Clinical

Facial discoloration is something that I’ve gotten really good at hiding. I have tried products that seemed to work, only to still have darks spot after using them.

At a photo shoot, while I was getting my makeup done the makeup artist asked if I had any issues with my face. I shared about my acne scars, which she assured me weren’t nearly as big a concern as I was feeling they were. But she said that if I was looking for a treatment, I should give Clinique’s Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector a try.

You have to apply the serum twice a day to see results. It’s prescription strength and after 12 weeks you should see up to 58% improvement.

This stuff is not cheap. I got the smallest size (4 week supply) and it set me back about $50. I didn’t want to invest in a 12 week supply ($144.50) if I didn’t notice a difference after four weeks, which the product assures you should start to notice improvement around them.

I only just starting using it and will be sharing about my experience over time. So, make sure to check back in for my first update!

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April 22, 2016

New Naturals

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links.

Birchbox Limited Edition Box New Naturals

I have been saying for a while now, that I want to start using more products that are good for me. Aside from Beautycounter, I didn’t know of a lot of brands or products. After looking into it, I wasn’t sure where to start.

And then, just like in answer to my beauty prayers, Birchbox announced their Limited Edition New Naturals box!

I ordered it along with the Limited Edition Beauty in Bloom box. I honestly couldn’t tell you which one I’m loving more!

After trying most of the products in the box, I’m already planning to get my hands on more products from Au Naturale, rms beauty and W3LL PEOPLE.

Definitely worth the $59 for $215 worth of products!

April 21, 2016

Vodka Drinks

I’m almost always up for a fun time spent with good friends. Especially when there are drinks involved!

We’ve (Jessica of The Confetti Bar, Alonda of @abstyled, and yours truly) partnered with First Avenue Vodka, to make three different vodka drinks, using their debut sugar-free vodka collection. Original flavored vodka for a classic mojito, Elderflower flavored vodka for a spiked lavender lemonade, and Whipped flavored vodka for a fun creamsicle inspired treat!

Thanks to Small Kitchen Big Taste we were able to use fresh fruits and veggies, everything from kumquats (which we had never tried before), to cucumbers.

To see the official Pink Couch Lounge photos that were styled by @abstyled and snapped by The Confetti Bar, along with the drink recipes, head over to The Confetti Bar’s blog.

April 18, 2016

Beauty in Bloom

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links.

It’s been a very long time since the last time I purchased a Limited Edition Birchbox. But the Beauty in Bloom box has a couple of products I had been dying to try and a really cute tray to put it all in!

Honestly, I wanted the tray for blog photos.

The products that I had to have?

The Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer (in High-Speed Sonnet) and stila HUGE extreme lash mascara. The rest was all a super sweet bonus!

There wasn’t a single thing that didn’t like or won’t use.

There’s always the option to buy the full size of the products individually. But, why? When for $64 you get $188 worth of products! Which is basically buy two get a bunch of other stuff free!

April 7, 2016

How to Look 10 Years Younger (Tips from The Age Fix)

It’s no secret that I like to tweak my skincare a ton, trying new products to find the ones that work best for me and my skin. While I tend to gravitate towards whatever is new or trending, sometimes it’s nice to get advice from a professional.

Dr. Anthony Youn is a top plastic surgeon, but his book The Age Fix is all about how to keep your skin healthy and looking young without surgery.

He shares everything from DIY face mask recipes, to quick makeup fixes. My personal favorite part is the section on what to eat for your best skin. I haven’t been able to fully commit to giving the suggested meal plan a try.

It is on my to do list, though.

For now, I’ve been making a serious effort to drink more water (adding lemon slices has been a huge help, in addition to opting for seltzer water instead of soda every once in a while).

Also, fruit. Apples, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, blueberries. I really like fruit, so making sure to start my day with at least one of something was a pretty easy transition.

Since I’m also trying to use healthier beauty products, I figured baby steps are probably in my best interest.

March 31, 2016

How I Keep My Black Clothes Dark

A lot of people say that they only wear black. Or that black is the main color in their wardrobe. I am not one of those people.

Although I love color, I do own a lot of black clothes. Particularly a ton of skinny jeans and leggings. And I very much so prefer it when my black clothes stay dark, bold and vivid. Black is my confidence color.

I would love it if I could pick out all of my outfits in advance. However, life happens and that’s not always possible. Black is the perfect color for that. I feel confidence and look chic, regardless of what else I am wearing. Well, within reason…

Nothing is worse than having a favorite shirt or pair of jeans fade overtime. I know I don’t want that to happen. So, I switched to Woolite Darks.

My darks stay dark.

I stay confident.

I’m going to be sharing some outfits that make me feel like my very best, so be on the lookout for that post!

March 17, 2016

Green Beer for St. Patrick’s Day

Two blog posts in one day? I know, I know…

I just couldn’t not share about what I’ll be drinking tonight! Don’t hate me, but I’m not a big fan of Guinness, or Baileys. So, still wanting to keep it festive for St. Patrick’s Day, I found a green beer DIY on Pinterest.

SUPER easy you guys! The how to can be found here.

Essentially, you just add green food coloring to your favorite light colored beer. But the order is kind of important.

Happy St. Paddy’s Day! If you’re going out tonight, be safe. And also wear green, especially if you want to avoid getting pinched.

March 17, 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Mani

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Being crafty this month, has really started to inspire me to be more creative in general. So, forget your standard green St. Patrick’s Day mani!

I wanted to go all out colorful and used the St. Patrick’s Day confetti from my March Confetti of the Month Club box.

Aside from the confetti, all you really need is your favorite base coat and top coat of nail polish. For the top coat, I like using one that is a no light gel.

If you have really short nails like I do, you’re going to want to cut the confetti into smaller pieces. I cut each piece in about half.

After prepping your nails as you usually would, apply your base coat, then, without letting it dry place a piece of confetti on each nail.

This part can be a little tricky (and a little messy). If you have nail glue, you can definitely use it to hold the confetti in place. I didn’t. But it’s an option.

Let dry before applying your top coat. I let this dry and added another coat, you don’t have to, I just get slightly paranoid.

Plus, I really wanted to make sure they lasted as long as possible.

This may have to be my new St. Patrick’s Day tradition!

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