by Lani

Fall Body Care & Fragrance 🌰🎃🍂

Lollia Wish Perfume – I got more Jo Malone pomegranate lotion blogged about previously and thought I’d spice things up and skip Jo Malone perfume or my signature scent to try Wish perfume from Anthropologie for $48. The scent is described as vanilla bean, jasmine, and sugarcane.

At first, when I sprayed it on I felt the smell was unpleasant and almost hairspray-like but one minute later it smelled so divine and mostly like vanilla. I love how this scent settles into my skin and transforms. The scent is light yet present and sweet. The spicy vanilla fragrance works perfectly for early fall.

UMA Anti-Aging Body Oil – My dry hands miracle, anti-aging oil, best thing that exists for night-time body care, the love of my life, UMA body oil is amazing! These days my hands get so dry from the hand washing and hand sanitizer that they physically hurt. I’ve been cutting my fingers while building furniture or doing daily tasks due to excessive dryness.

Regular lotion does not always do the trick and when I wash my hands, they’re dry once again. However this body oil makes my skin softer than traditional lotion. This oil quickly absorbs into my skin, it makes my skin feel silky rather than oily. The glass bottle is easy to recycle once I’m finished. I purchase mine from Revolve for $90.

Slip Silk Night Hair Cap – A running inside joke between my mom and I involves our old night hair caps. Before this, I never have purchased an expensive hair cap. I always got them under $8 dollars from Sally’s. My old one used for years, now my puppy’s toy, was literally coming apart. The joke is our caps were not even real satin, they are sa-teen, double e. So after giving my puppy her new toy I looked into luxury night caps to get myself and my mom. I picked out the Slip caps pictured above from Anthropologie.

I love that the turban is not headache inducing yet sung enough to stay put on my head. It also may not fall off for me because my hair is big and it fills out the cap. The hair cap has a tag to hang the cap on a robe hook, which is a nice touch. The fabric feels soft. The turban shape is natural hair friendly for a pineapple hair bun or afro because there is extra fabric at the top. These hair caps cost $85. ❤

by Lani

Puppy’s homecoming preparation

I purchased a few products mainly from Amazon to prepare for my puppy’s homecoming in late August. I’ve found these products absolutely helpful so I thought I’d share.

I brush my puppy’s teeth daily and she loves her beef flavored puppy toothpaste from Paws and Pals. Since she’s teething she practically brushes her own teeth, the toothbrush looks human-like so she has so much fun chewing on it and massaging her gums with the bristles.

Another loved and practical item is her Furry Baby blanket. The fleece texture is safe for her to chew on as she falls asleep. The blanket is super warm as well.

Her puppy blanket set in elephant print size small are adorable and useful. She plays tug-of-war with them and the blankets hold strong. I’ve washed her blankets and beds several times and they’ve held up perfectly.

I started her off with a puppy teething toy set and eventually we went to Petco together and she picked out three more Halloween toys. She especially likes the sheep toy from Petco because of its soft texture. From the teething set her favorites are the rainbow bone, the banana with paper texture, the baby bottle, the donut, and the ropes.

Her Snuggle Puppy came in handy during her first days home. The stuffed animal has a heat pack and battery-powered heart that beats. The heat pack essentially has one use because it is activated by the air and lasts 24 hours. It can last longer if it is put in a zip-lock bag before 24-hours are up. The heartbeat heart has batteries included and it runs for 8 hours when turned on. She likes to play with her snuggle puppy rather than sleep with it but I do think it helps calm her down.

BEDS

I got her two beds one is somewhat of a let-down, the extra-small pink bed. The extra-small is extremely small. She still fits but after eating she is almost too big for the bed and she’s only 2lbs. She does like to play with the bed and it holds up when she bites into it. When I repurchase I will get a size small instead. She gravitates towards this bed during day naps. She does like to hop into this bed to relax so it does serve its purpose. It is also very cute and comes in several colors.

Her other beige bed is preferred for sleeping at night. There is enough room to tuck some treats and toys on the side to help her settle down to sleep.

Other Products Pictured:

Pink Pet Waste Bags with dispenser

Plant Based Dog Wipes, Compostable

Play Pen – I love that this play pen is hard plastic and it is adaptable. It can work as a fence too to fence off areas like the front door. I spent hours picking this out because there are so many horror stories of puppies dying trying to escape from a cage or crate or getting stuck on the door. I chose a play pen without a door because of those stories. Eventually once she’s a little older I will just leave it partially open so she can go and come into it as she pleases.

Towels – Pink Towel Robe, Grey Towel Microfiber

Bowls

Girl Puppy Diapers – another fail because she is so small she slides out of them.

Heart-patterned Outdoor Socks

Puppy Shampoo, Baby Powder Cologne for Dogs

Harness in Pink x-small – it is too big for her right now

Syringes – to administer medicine

Personalized Dog Basket Liner and the dark brown basket was purchased here as well

Personalized Two Tag Bundle

Happy puppy shopping ❤

by Lani

Bay Area Eats Series & Vegan Ice Cream Recommendation

El Salvadorian Food – El Chalateco

955 Saratoga Ave San Jose, CA 95129

I was incredibly happy to discover an El Salvadorian restaurant in the Bay Area. I highly recommend El Chalateco, the restaurant, and open kitchen are exceptionally clean and up to COVID protocol. They also have outdoor dining. The flavor of the food was fantastic and authentic. I grew up eating El Salvadorian food thanks to my step-dad so I’m picky about flavor. We ordered two pupusas de chicharrón y queso, pupusa de queso, chicken tamales, and tamal de elote (plain sweet corn).

Korean BBQ Truck – BBQ Kalbi Food Truck

305 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051

This is a new BBQ truck run independently by one woman. She makes simple Korean BBQ dishes like pork with rice or kimchi fried rice. Her portions are big enough to share and her prices are incredibly low. She also adds plenty of vegetables like zucchini!

Upscale Korean Dinning – Chungdam Restaurant

My dining experience at Chungdam was whimsical and memorable. We ordered spicy octopus, short ribs with pumpkin, and the pork belly appetizer. The short ribs with pumpkin had roasted chestnuts and veggies it was sweet and fall-off-the-bone. The pumpkin tasted addicting. They offer outdoor dining under umbrella-covered tables and cell phone scanned menus.

Bubble tea, Red Velvet to Tiramisu – Toco Tea

3074 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95051

The bubble tea at Toco Tea is next level liquid dessert. I loved the tiramisu boba with cream cheese foam and the red velvet flavored boba. Both were as satisfying as eating a bowl of ice cream.

Vegan Ice Cream recommendation: Valsoia Gelato Cones

I picked up these cones on a whim from the supermarket. I had to list them here as a recommendation because they are delicious and dairy-free. I’ve struggled to find dairy-free ice-cream that tastes rich rather than like ice chunks, but this is it. This dairy-free milk ice cream tastes just as velvety as regular ice cream. The bottom of the cone has chocolate too! ❤

See you in the next installment!

by Lani

Nomination Thank You ~ GAMBA WORDPRESS SHINING STAR AWARD for PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT

Thank you Chocoviv Blog for nominating me for the Gamba WordPress Shining Star Award for Peace & Save Environment. ❤

blog link – https://chocoviv.home.blog/

Rules & Regulations
1. Thank the person who nominated you, with a link to their blog.
2. Make a Post of the Award with a Statement on Concept of PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT as above. And Tag your post with the #greatachiever.
3. Mention the rules and regulations.
4. Ask 7 questions of your choice. One of the question must include about “PEACE” and one for “SAVE Environment”.
5. Nominate at least 7 fellow bloggers or more to 21 bloggers and notify them.
6. Follow @kamalsbloggingcafe (https://kamalsbloggingcafe.wordpress.com) to secure certification as a badge to get a chance of collecting badge of GAMBA WORDPRESS SHINING STAR AWARD for PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT. For more details visit https://kamalsbloggingcafe.wordpress.com/award/.

My 7 Questions:

Concept of Peace & Consumerism

1.) Given the interconnectedness of the world do you think all companies in all countries should adopt cruelty-free standards, or is it up to consumers to boycott questionable products?

Part and parcel to global peace are cherishing human life and animal life. I think that though it is an awesome idea for all companies to practice cruelty-free standards it is difficult to enforce strict rules across the board globally. Today we have a wealth of information at our fingertips and it is doable for people with the means to boycott products that test on living animals. However, unfortunately, the abundant information we have access to is sometimes confusing and misleading. What are your thoughts?

Concept of Peace & Community

2.) How can you build a community in your everyday life?


Given the social distancing measures most of the world currently upholds as of August 2020, I think a great way to build community is to practice kindness and etiquette online. The digital space has increased in importance and leaving a kind comment for a friend or stranger can make their day!

3.) Do you have a green thumb?


I do not have a green thumb. I’m dreadfully afraid of planting anything because I don’t want to plant something that will grow moldy and sad. However, I do love to enjoy nature outdoors because I believe it is one of the best ways to practice mindfulness.

Concept of Environment

4.) What is one thing you can do to improve the environment this week?

I love to recycle and donate my clothing because I think it can help under-resourced people, especially new or barely used work clothing. Donating clothing also helps create less waste. I also love using reusable straws when I can however due to covid I am sometimes unable to in outdoor restaurants.

5.) Do you like to volunteer? How can I volunteer virtually?

I enjoy volunteering in my private life and I’ve discovered online volunteer opportunities. Volunteering has several mental health benefits that can provide a little optimistic boost in your week. Check out this resource for virtual volunteering: https://www.volunteermatch.org/virtual-volunteering

6.) What kind of sky do you prefer? Bright and blue with white clouds, a sunset/sunrise ranging from fairy-floss colors to vivid, or mysterious grey and stormy?

I love a blue sky with fluffy white clouds! As I’ve written in former blog posts sunsets and sunrises are favorites of mine. I love bright and colorful skies because I love color generally speaking.

7.) When was the last time you saw a waterfall in person?


I have not seen a waterfall in two years. The last time I saw one was in Iceland. Hopefully, this winter I will see one again.


What are your answers to my seven questions? Ponder them and leave a comment reply if you want. Take care

❤

Nominations:

1.) Cassie Blog – https://www.cassieblog.com/

2.) I refuse to give up – https://irefusetogiveup.wordpress.com/

3.) Writing to Freedom – https://writingtofreedom.com/

4.) The Red Alert Blog – https://redalert.food.blog/

5.) One Chance to See the World – https://onechancetoseetheworld.com/

6.) Simply Sarah Jayne Loves – https://simplysarahjayneloves.com/

7.) Passport Overused – https://passportoverused.com/

by Lani

GAMBA WORDPRESS SHINING STAR AWARD for PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT

Chocoviv’s Lifestyle Blog

Thank you Kamal from Kamal’s Blogging Cafe for nominating me!

Rules & Regulations
1. Thank the person who nominated you, with a link to their blog.
2. Make a Post of the Award with a Statement on Concept of PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT as above. AndTag your post with the #greatachiever.
3. Mention the rules and regulations.
4. Ask 7 questions of your choice. One of the question must include about “PEACE” and one for “SAVE Environment”.
5. Nominate at least 7 fellow bloggers or more to 21 bloggers and notify them.
6. Follow@kamalsbloggingcafe(https://kamalsbloggingcafe.wordpress.com) to secure certification as a badge to get a chance of collecting badge of GAMBA WORDPRESS SHINING STAR AWARD for PEACE & SAVE ENVIRONMENT. For more details visithttps://kamalsbloggingcafe.wordpress.com/award/.

Save The Environment

It’s not having only one person doing a hundred percent for the environment, but to have one…

View original post 292 more words

by Lani

Autumn Wreath🍁🍁🍁

Hello everyone, happy Friday

I remade my wreath to transition it to a fall theme. I purchased all of the flowers, fall leaves, and the fall sign from Micheals with the 30% sale.

I used dark purple colored flowers, as well as orange and yellow ones. Additionally, I used the Pumpkin, Berry, Maple Leaf Fall Bush and a fall leaves bush.

Unlike the previous wreath this time I kept all the flowers together and only broke apart the fall bush to distribute the pumpkins, gourds, hay and leaves around the wreath to create balance.

I also barely used wire this time. I simply stuck the flowers underneath the wood. I used wire to stick the pumpkins and hay so it would not move. I also used wire for the fall sign to attach it to the bottom of the wreath.

link to wire used

The first time my mother and I made our wreath it took us an hour but this time we finished in about 15 minutes. This wreath design is simple and fun to make.

I hope this post gives you some ideas so you can create a wreath of your own too. Happy crafting! ❤

by Lani

End of Summer Clothing~ For Love & Lemons, Paige

For Love & Lemons Gracie Midi Dress – I love how generously cut this midi dress is. I got a size small and there is still plenty of room in the dress. The fabric is light-weight and partially lined. The dress is not see-through. I wanted this dress because I love the retro 70s style cut and floral print. I wanted a dress like this for years because it looks like something Jackie from That 70s Show would wear. It is perfect for the end of summer because it provides coverage but is still light. A bonus, is it has a leg slit. It’s currently 15% off too!

Free People Lime BRB BodySuit – This bodysuit is supportive and vibrantly colored. The back is cutout to give the bodysuit a youthful edge. It is sold out but Free People has many body suits of a similar style. A vibrant bodysuit is a great way to spice up summer lounge wear.

Free People Levi’s shorts – I love the cut of these shorts because they have enough coverage in the back. The denim is very thick and they have minimally shrunk after getting washed several times.

Paige White Genevieve Pants – These pants are incredibly stretchy and forgiving. The downside is that they run long. I am around 5’6 and I wore heels yet they still were long, but if you are tall or don’t mind wearing heels I highly recommend them.

Free People Tortuga Straw Cowboy Hat – This hat is sold out but Free People has many cowboy hat alternatives. I think hats are a great accessory to use in the summer to make a simple outfit more festive while protecting your face from the sun. ❤

by Lani

Sokoglam Sheet Masks, Sensitized Skin Products & Coffee Oil 🍉🧖🏾‍♀️☕

My sokoglam sheet mask collection is growing! Here are my thoughts:

  • COLLAGEN ESSENTIAL LIFTING & FIRMING SHEET MASK – These masks are thicker than the standard sheet mask. They help plump out your skin with hydrolyzed collagen. A key ingredient is beta-glucan, it can help cool and relax the skin and reduce redness. Read more about beta-glucan here, written work reviewed by a dermatologist. 
  • PACKH.D.P PHOTOREADY TIGHTENING CHARCOAL MASK – This black mask is the same brand as the collagen ones listed above. These masks contain pomegranate, charcoal, and adenosine extracted from yeast. The ingredient adenosine has anti-aging properties. Read more on adenosine here. 
  • PIBUWANG MASK – REST (5PACK) – I’ve blogged about these vegan sheet masks before. Back then, I enjoyed using them but did not understand the hype. Recently my skin became irritated and the mask did effectively soothe my skin within two days and they minimized the appearance of discoloration from irritation.
  • BRIGHTENING SHEET MASK SET – I have not tried every mask in the set yet. I do love that the selection of masks can change with availability, this way it feels like a surprise when purchasing. This $19 set comes with five different sheet masks!

Sensitized Skin Products:

Three sensitized skincare products I’ve enjoyed using:

Art of Skincare Hale & Hush Soothe Essence – This is a life-changing essence, no exaggeration. It makes a major difference when my skin appears irritated out of the blue. I first discovered this product as a sample. I used it when my skin became irritated with bright red bumps on my cheek. By the next morning, the irritation disappeared entirely after using this essence. I purchased it as a full-size product for the first time. I’ve used it to soothe skin irritation and I’ve found that it always helps.

The key ingredients are birch tree extract, which has inflammatory properties, sunflower seed oil to hydrate, and mirabilis Jalapa extract to support the skin barrier and more.

Art of Skincare Quick Recovery Sample Masks – This $23 set is a great way to try out different masks and see how your skin reacts. The avocado mask is gentle and moisturizing, the pudding tapioca and rice mask can help smooth out skin texture, and the pumpkin mask cleanses pores and improves skin blood circulation. Check out the links to the individual masks below. My personal favorites are the Pudding Apeel Mask and Splendid Dirt Pumpkin Mask.

1.)Guac Star Soothing Avocado Mask

2.)Pudding Apeel Glycolic Mask

3.)Splendid Dirt Pumpkin Mask

BEAUTY OF JOSEON Green Tea Serum – This serum has centella asiatica to calm down redness and irritation, green tea as an antioxidant, and panthenol from vitamin B-5. Read more on panthenol here.

BODY – Anese Coffee Oil – This vegan oil formulated for the bum with watermelon oil and coffee beans. It can help reduce cellulite. It soothes dryness or irritation on your skin and leaves it feeling supple, most notably when used in combination with a scrub beforehand. ❤

by Lani

Rebecca Minkoff Bag Review

I recently got my second Rebecca Minkoff bag! The first bag I got was a tote bag I blogged about two years ago. I purchased a Chevron Quilted Jumbo Love Crossbody and a Leo Zip Card Case with Eye Stud.

I had my eye on this bag for about 5 months but I purchased the card case on a whim because it was on sale. I’m really happy I got it because I wanted a lighter wallet option to use daily.

My other Rebecca Minkoff wallet I blogged about in the past I love but it does feel weighted and heavy when used regularly. This small card case only needs the essentials and it also has a coin pouch as well for added organization.

The Chevron Quilted Jumbo Love Crossbody is LARGE and I love that about it. I wanted an everyday brunch worthy bag that could fit my essentials and not feel heavy on my shoulder. This bag fits the bill because it is lightweight and spacious. The dark sand color is delightful and wearable for several months from early summer to late autumn.

The back of the bag has an additional flap, perfect for quick reach items like my cellphone. I think a back flap is essential during these times because it allows you to not have to open your purse too often and put potential germs inside.

The inside of the bag has three pockets, one large one with a zipper and two smaller ones. This makes purse organization easy and practical. I put my hand sanitizer in one pocket and a sizable hand lotion and face tissues in the other smaller pocket. I also can fit two purse organization pouches inside as well so my bag remains organized.

https://www.rebeccaminkoff.com/products/chevron-quilted-jumbo-love-crossbody-hh19gcqx60-sandrift

The bag does come with a dust bag cover, how perfect! ❤

by Lani

Bay Area Eats Series

Takeout & Outdoor Dining Edition

Boiling Crab San Jose – 71 Curtner Ave Suite 20, San Jose, CA 95125 – I prefer the Boiling Crab seafood boil to Kickin’ Crab. We ordered takeout seafood boil in whole-shebang (all sauces mixed) spicy sauce. We got shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn, and crab. The freshness of the seafood and flavor surpassed our expectations. It was a beautiful meal to have on my patio on a summer evening!

The Sandwich Spot – 5126 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose, CA 95129 – I ordered two takeout sandwiches: the Crab sandwich and the Spartan Special sandwich. The Crab Sandwich uses imitation crab and has a fresh cold summer-like taste while the Spartan Special is the standard turkey bacon sandwich. I preferred the Spartan Special. Still, both sandwiches tasted appetizing. They often have coupons on Grub Hub.

Pizz’A Chicago – 1576 Halford Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95051 – This pizza place does pizza best. I’ve ordered other things on the menu like stuffed mushrooms and I was extremely disappointed. However, their pizzas are super tasty and flavorful. Though they are named after Chicago pizza they do not seem to make deep dish pizza. I’ve ordered two pizzas from here and the best one is pictured above The Southsider pizza. This restaurant has two small tables outside for outdoor dining.

Pacific Catch – 19399 Stevens Creek Blvd Ste 5, Cupertino, CA 95014 – A pleasant outdoor eating restaurant is Pacific Catch. The food is a fusion of different cuisines. They have super tasty cocktails as well. Their food is simple flavor-wise but their service and presentation are excellent. Our waiter was super kind and happy and the restaurant generally has positive vibes. Makes for a nice quick bite!

La Chilanguita Taco Truck – 4179 Moorpark Ave #4167, San Jose, CA 95117 – This authentic taco truck has no frills but still offers a cheap and delicious eating experience. I liked the carne asada tacos most. I think their horchata tastes addicting and tasty as well.

I was going to recommend San Mateo restaurants for outdoor dining because the area had entire streets closed off or set up to cater to outdoor customers however it seems the area may close down again. Pictured above is a quick bite bento box lunch from NI-MO Japanese Cuisine – 73 E 3rd Ave, San Mateo, CA 94401 – The food tasted fresh and simple, nothing noteworthy, its a nice place to eat outside.

Do you like hot waffles and cold ice-cream? If you do then you’ll love takeout from Cocohodo Sunnyvale – 1082 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. They have two small tables and chairs right by the entrance, so we were able to eat outside of the restaurant. I ordered the Green Tea waffle with bananas and green tea ice-cream. We also got shaved mango ice and both dishes tasted delightful!

If you crave a Korean BBQ “feast style” meal the best place to go in the South Bay is Tobang – 1052 Kiely Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95051 – They make grilled meat and serve other popular Korean dishes like seafood pancakes. What makes them stand out is their welcoming customer service and large portions with extra sides if you have a large order.

Somi Somi – 19540 Vallco Pkwy #160, Cupertino, CA 95014 – I’ve been here twice and both experiences were perfect. They offer soft serve and fish shaped waffle cones. I love the black sesame ice-cream and crunchy topping options! ❤

Recommendation ~ Black Girl Magic Wine

I recently came across Black Girl Magic wine at the wine store and fell in love with the owners’ story. The McBrides winery is majority women employed and the owners are two bi-racial sisters who did not know of each other and lived across the world from one another. They eventually found each other and opened a wine business, this is one of few women-owned wine businesses that exist! Read more and see their online store here – https://www.mcbridesisters.com/Sisters-Story

Wine link https://www.mcbridesisters.com/Black-Girl-Magic ❤