Tag Archives: Lifestyle Blogger

Great Scott, It’s The Property Brothers!

Just a quick post about the most recent Maricopa County Home & Garden Show!

On Saturday October 14, 2023, I went to the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show to see twin brothers Drew & Jonathan Scott, also known as “Property Brothers”, which is their incredibly successful TV show!

The Scott bothers are originally from Canada, where they had a successful show that ended up on HGTV here in the US. Based on the popularity of “Property Brothers”, they grew their franchise to other TV shows, books and even a cartoon called “Builder Brothers”!

The audience was treated to a fun and funny show, there the Scott Brothers talked about their career, a bit about their personal lives, and gave lots of fantastic tips and advice for anyone looking to refresh or improve their current home, or new property.

After their stage show, everyone was treated to a photo opportunity, and the brothers were so kind and gracious to all who were able to stay after. After I received the picture in this post, I realized just how tall they are (or rather just how short I am)!

Thank you again Maricopa County Home Shows for the tickets, it was a fun day! 

FTC Disclosure: I received tickets as a courtesy from The Maricopa County Home & Garden Show. Although I received complimentary tickets, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Want a Shot of Whiskey?

I was going to attempt to pick up where I left off as far as events I’ve been to since last September, but that’s pretty much tracked on my Instagram page. What I will do, is use this blog to flesh out some key events that I document regularly on my Instagram page, since that is my most favorite form of social media.

So, I will post something more light-hearted, since my last post about my mom was quite emotional.

Unless you don’t own a TV or have any form of social media, then you wouldn’t know the talented (and handsome) phenomenon that is Pedro Pascal. I have actually only really been paying attention since he starred alongside Colin Firth in Kingsman: The Golden Circle as Agent Whiskey, but even then, I wasn’t really paying that much attention.

I still wasn’t paying attention when Mr. Pascal was starring as bounty hunter Din Jarin in the Star Wars series, The Mandalorian, even though Deon (my husband) and I faithfully watched every episode, even making sure we watched The Book of Boba Fett. Even when I was watching both of those series, it’s because I absolutely loved Baby Grogu. The whole time, we didn’t even say Pedro Pascal was in The Mandalorian, we said “Hey, did you know Whiskey was Din Jarin?”

When Game of Thrones was coming to an end, Deon became a fan and decided to spend about a month catching up on all of the seasons so he could watch the final season in real time. During season 4, he said “Honey, you have to see Whiskey get his eyes smashed in!” Then he started watching Narcos: Mexico on Netflix, not knowing there was a Narcos season prior, starring Pedro.

Deon is a big DC Comics fan, so when the new Wonder Woman 1984 movie was released, he said “Whiskey is in the new Wonder Woman!” By then, we were already invested in The Mandalorian, had watched season 2 and we were finally no longer referring to Pedro as Whiskey.

Deon had been playing The Last of Us video game parts 1 & 2 when they were first released. Because of his interest in the game, he found out that Part 1 of the game was going to be turned into a television series. He even knew that Pedro Pascal would be Joel Miller, and Bella Ramsey would be Ellie (and he still referred to her as Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones). Even then, I only watched the show because I heard Depeche Mode had a song that would play a prominent role in the first episode, and boy did it! I was hooked on the show and watched each new episode weekly, asking Deon how faithfully the show stuck to the game.

Still, none of that made an impression until I saw Pedro appear on these three shows: Saturday Night Live, The Graham Norton Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers. I feel these appearances from early 2023 showcased his personality so well and so authentically, it was hard to ignore just what an adorable human being Pedro Pascal is.

I can fan-girl with the best of them, and of course following in the footsteps of what I did with my other favorite actor, Colin Firth (I mention him in this blog post here), I built myself a Pedro Pascal cinematic and television show library, but this time mostly online. I feel like these two actors had the same exact artistic trajectory: a bit of struggle in the beginning of their careers, with their surge hitting later. I mean, who knew that Colin Firth was going to be an action hero in his 50’s? I remember when Colin won the Oscar for his performance in The King’s Speech. I screamed and was so excited for him, as if it was one of my friends winning the award! And I know I’ll feel the same way, feeling that anticipation when the Emmy’s come around next year, and crossing my fingers that Pedro Pascal gets to win at least one of the three Emmy’s he’s nominated for!

Pictures (from the top):

  • My copy of Wired
  • Outtake from “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (source unknown)
  • “The Mandalorian with Grogu” Funko Pop from my collection
  • Image from San Diego Comic Con 2017 (source unknown)

Catching Up: Recent Events July – September 2022

There were a few events that I forgot to post about, which happened prior to the Daddy Daughter Trip movie premiere, and then hopefully, I’ll be able to keep up with my posts!


Immersive Monet & The Impressionists

Back on July 28, 2022 I attended the VIP Grand Opening Night of Immersive Monet & The Impressionists at Lighthouse Artspace, with Susan of Styles Revealed. Another wonderful immersive art experience, but I think the photo op below was one of my favorites for sure!


Meeting Comedian JoKoy!

Back in August 2022, I saw Easter Sunday, Jo Koy’s new movie with my hubby. But I then saw it again when I heard he was going to be appearing at movie theaters all over the country! I made sure to catch the showing at Harkins Theaters in Scottsdale and finally got to meet him and get an autographed poster! If you check out my Instagram post, you’ll see that he also voluntarily recorded a greeting for my sister!


Anoche Preview Night

Also in August 2022, Susan (StylesRevealed) invited me to be her guest at the VIP preview a new concept restaurant/night club in Tempe called Anoche Cantina. We got to try a small menu of drinks and bites, in addition to hanging out with some of our influencer friends, like Cynthia Sassi of Fabulous Arizona (image just below)!


“What She Said” Speaker Event

I posted that I would be attending the “What She Said” Speaker Event as an invited influencer at the end of August 2022, and it was really amazing! Not only were we treated to several inspiring speakers, I was able to be a part of TWO different podcasts! One has already been posted, which is “Boss Babe Life Hacks” by Farrah Larae, and the other was for Fashion Rewired for Brian Hill of Phoenix Fashion Week.


Wonderspaces Arizona at Scottsdale Fashion Square

I was invited by Wonderspaces AZ to check out their amazing interactive gallery space at Scottsdale Fashion Square, and took my family on Labor Day weekend. There was so much fantastic art to look at and actually experience, both in person and virtually. Their gallery changes regularly, so we have to go back and check out what’s new soon!

FTC Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets and/or invitations to some of the events in this post. Although I did receive complimentary tickets and/or invitations, the opinions in this blog post are my own.

WHAT SHE SAID: The Power of Female Connectivity

August 25, 2022 at The W Scottsdale

Purchase “What She Said” Tickets Here!

I wanted to share a wonderful event that I will be a part of on August 25, 2022: This is the What She Said speaker series, celebrating Women’s Equality Day. This event is in partnership with The Modern Day Wife, and it will be held at the W Hotel Scottsdale. There will be panels featuring celebrities, influencers, company CEO’s, designers and other influential women! In addition to these panels, there will be a fashion show and other pop ups throughout the event.

I am just one of a wonderful list of influencer co-hosts who will be there, and you can purchase tickets using my exclusive link under the flier above. I hope to see you there, cheers!

Details:

What: What She Said

When: August 25, 2022

VIP Pre-Party: 2:30-4 PM
Main Event: 4-9:00 PM.

Where:  W Scottsdale

7277 East Camelback Road         

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Registration Options:

Diamond VIP Pre Party – $99.99
Access to VIP Pre-Party, Networking, Swag Bag & Exclusive Photo Opp. Option to get a Headshot taken at the VIP Pre Party!

VIP Pre Party
 – $55.00
Access to VIP Pre-Party plus networking. Option to get a Headshot taken at the VIP Pre Party!

Premiere General Admission
 – $34.99
Includes a complimentary What She Said Cocktail.

General Admission – $24.99
Access to Event including shopping, fashion show & What She Said Panels

Getting More Immersive with Klimt

As I get set to attend another immersive event tomorrow, I wanted to make sure that I posted when I attended Immersive Klimt with my husband, back in April of this year. This was again at Lighthouse ArtSpace, in the same building as Immersive Van Gogh.

As expected, this was another audio and visual stunner, featuring the art of Gustav Klimt, the Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. By far, my favorite part was when the art and animation were accompanied by the German version of David Bowie’s Heroes (which can be found on my Instagram post)! Also, there was a very moving dance that accompanied Klimt’s most well known painting, The Kiss.

Immersive Klimt has ended it’s run at Lighthouse ArtSpace here in Arizona, but I took a few pictures of our experience (including what I wore). Cheers!

Thank you to Immersive Klimt and Lighthouse ArtSpace for inviting me to experience this fantastic immersive exhibit!

“The One In Phoenix”: The Friends Experience!


How YOU doin’? The Friends Experience: The One in Phoenix is now OPEN! As an avid fan of the series, I can confidently say this lived up to ALL of my expectations! I invited Patricia to come with me to the media preview, and we had SO much fun! Here is just some of the fun you can have, too!

  • The experience features 12 nostalgia-packed rooms, including Monica & Rachel’s apartment, Joey & Chandler’s apartment and of course, Central Perk!
  • You can relive so many iconic moments like Ross’ “PIVOT” moment, sing “Smelly Cat” with Phobe’s guitar or wake up Ugly Naked Guy with the giant poking device!
  • The space is “Monica Clean” with lots of health and safety protocols in place!
  • There’s also an onsite retail store with exclusive products available
  • Tickets start at $30.50, and private access tickets are also available for groups of up to six or 10 guests! 
  • The experience runs from February 24-May 8 2022!

Thank you SO much to everyone at The Friends Experience: The One In Phoenix for hosting us and for being so kind, gracious and patient with all of our pictures! Patricia and I took tons of pictures, and here are just a few. Cheers and if you are a “Friends” fan, this experience is highly highly recommended!

THE Couch!

PIVOT!

Joey & Chandler’s Apartment

Monica & Rachel’s Apartment

“Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?!”

“Smelly cat, smelly cat…what are they feeding you?”

Central Perk

The Merch Store

Thank you for having us!

The One With The “Friends” Fanatic!

Yes, I am a Friends fanatic, and in anticipation of attending Friends: The Experience here in Phoenix, Arizona, this is a pictorial history of my fandom. This is not an exhaustive pictorial history (believe me, I own more than what’s pictured here), but I think it’s a good indication of how much I love the show! In addition to going to Friends: The Experience this week (which opens to the public on February 24, 2022), I also went to the Friends exhibit in Scottsdale and bought a specialized drink, tea bags and coffee beans at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, both back in 2019 (pictured above and below).

I have been a fan of Friends since the first episode aired back in September 22, 1994. I actually have watched every episode for all ten seasons when they aired, and have seen them repeatedly because I sometimes have them playing in the background while I’m working in my home office or when doing housework. My sister and I can quote many lines from the show, and can insert quotes in everyday conversation (I have “The One With The Apartment Bet Game”, and can answer almost every question correctly and I also have “The One With The Ball”, pictured above).

My house is decorated with lots of direct and indirect references to the show. For instance, the picture above is the same poster in Monica and Rachel’s living room, above their television. I found it online, and it’s in our bedroom. We also have a small version of the frame in the girl’s apartment that hangs on their door. My niece, Mei-Lin, made it on a 3D printer and it also hangs on our front door. I also have a painting she made for me, which is displayed on a wall in my home office.

The last few pictures are items that I own, including both Lego sets, all of the Friends Funko Pop collections (so far), the soundtrack on pink vinyl, and one of the two Christmas ornaments we own (again, so far). I’m sure you can imagine my excitement for Friends: The Experience! Be sure to follow along on my Instagram as I will be posting an unboxing of a fantastic gift they sent me, stories of the tour along with a post, and I will wrap it all up here on my blog. Cheers!

Holiday 2021 Wrap Up

I know it’s February 2022 now, but I wanted to post a few pictures from this past holiday, starting with a picture of our holiday card, and our beautiful tree! I received some amazing complimentary holiday decorations from Aurorava, and came up with a themed Christmas tree, with all blue hues. What’s even more impressive, is that I didn’t even use a filter in these pictures! The garland and cut-out ball ornaments have a Polar Light Film on them, so no matter where the lights are placed on the tree, the reflection causes anything around them to glow!

We also received tinsel, which I used on our hall tree to create a mid-century modern display in our entryway! If you like these decorations, you can find them on Amazon, just search “AURORAVA”.

In addition to our amazing new decorations, we finally got the chance to go back to San Diego! The last time we were in San Diego was back in 2019, when my mom and I went to visit right after Christmas. But this year, we all went and saw not only my sister and her family (and their new puppy, Bruno), but we got to see our cousins and extended family in Murietta! Plus, I got to have brunch with my besties, Janice & Regi, at Great Maple in UTC!

I hope you all had wonderful Christmas and New Year holidays! Here’s to bigger and better adventures in 2022, cheers!

Brunch with my besties, Janice & Regi, at Great Maple
My mom with Bruno!
Doesn’t Bruno always look like he’s smiling?
I think we’re “Friends” fans…
Gotta love my silly niece, Mei-Lin!
My mom with her grandkids
Aunties!
Lady cousins
Gentlemen cousins
Kiddie (and some not so kiddie) cousins

Go Surround Yourself in Immersive Van Gogh

A favorite new show that I discovered during the pandemic is Emily in Paris on Netflix. Well, I didn’t really “discover” it in that it was brought to my attention by more than one friend or family member. I’ll get into a whole blog post about that show later, but I did want to talk about an exciting event I recently attended, which is highlighted in one of the episodes.

In episode 5 of season 1 of Emily In Paris entitled “Faux Amis”, main character Emily, her neighbor Gabriel and his girlfriend Camille, all go to an exhibit in Paris called “Van Gogh, Starry Night”, organized by L’Atelier des Lumières (which is no longer on display). As they walked in, Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night” was blown up and projected on all the walls of the gallery. What I loved about that exhibit is that it looked like they were inside the painting, a part of it or surrounded by it. I had no idea it was a temporary showing, so any plans of going to Paris in the future to visit said exhibit were dashed very quickly.

Due to the popularity of that episode and exhibit, Van Gogh immersive experiences started to appear all over the US and Canada over the past year. Luckily, the first one I saw coming to the Arizona area was attended in Chicago by the star of Emily in Paris herself, Lily Collins: Immersive Van Gogh.

Note: For my friends in San Diego who are going to the Van Gogh exhibit there, it’s presented by Beyond Van Gogh, which is a different immersive event.

The moment tickets went on sale for Immersive Van Gogh, I immediately purchased VIP tickets for myself and my family. More recently, I had the honor of being invited to the VIP cocktail grand opening and ribbon cutting in what is listed on the website as the Phoenix, Arizona location, which I attended with my friend Susan (Styles Revealed). It was presented by Lighthouse Immersive and Impact Museums, at Lighthouse Artspace in Scottsdale.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, we were treated to a presentation, led by Show One Productions founder, Svetlana Dvoretsk, who partnered with Starvox Entertainment to bring Immersive Van Gogh to life. During her presentation, she mentioned that one should not be shocked if you have an emotional reaction to being immersed by the imagery of Van Gogh’s paintings and the musical accompaniment. After walking around and pausing to take in what was happening, that deep connection between the images and music happened for me, leaving me a bit breathless. I later shared my reaction with Svetlana when I saw her walking around the exhibit, and she was not surprised!

I’m not sure if it’s my background in the arts, or my absolute love of music that brought about that emotional reaction, but it was definitely moving. I have read reviews that this is such an “Instagrammable” presentation, and that it’s so watered down compared to seeing Van Gogh’s actual works up close and personal. I have visited museums like The Louvre in Paris and The Norton Simon Museum of Art in Los Angeles, seeing great works of art, including Van Gogh’s, in a more “appropriate” gallery setting. But seeing his art in this newer context, moving all around me in time with beautiful music was quite a different sensation (visual presentation by Massimilaino Siccardi and musical presentation by Luca Longobardi). It was even more fun when I returned a week later with my family. It was lovely to be with my husband and son, experiencing art differently, allowing for the interest to take root. Dominic is drawn to Asian art, particularly Japanese art and was immediately taken by Van Gogh’s own versions, asking if he actually traveled to Japan.

Another criticism of the exhibit stemmed from the lack of additional information about Van Gogh, that the images were presented without context. I would have to say to anyone attending Immersive Van Gogh to do your own research, which is what I did. I watched several documentaries about Vincent Willem Van Gogh, soaking up as much information about his mindset, travels and relationships. I enjoyed one from 2010 called Painted with Words, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Van Gogh. It detailed the artist’s story through many letters he wrote, especially to his beloved brother Theo. In fact, as you walk into Immersive Van Gogh, there is a room filled with mirrors etched with excerpts from some of the letters he wrote over the years.

I also watched the 2018 film At Eternity’s Gate, starring Willem Dafoe, which depicted Van Gogh’s isolation, revelations and sorrow. I wanted to know more about the artist before attending because I wanted to get a sense of where he was, both physically and mentally, when he painted his works. And to answer Dominic’s question about whether or not Van Gogh had been go Japan, the answer is no. He painted them mainly in French countryside, but was so moved by the light and color, that he felt it would be similar to how it would be in Japan.

In retrospect, what I believe what this exhibit offers is the power of reflection. You have hints of who Van Gogh was, and there are images of his most famous and familiar works. But I think this space was designed to overwhelm your senses through sight and sound, maybe to feel how he felt in the countryside, in Arles and Saint Remy de Provence. In recalling the documentaries and the movie At Eternity’s Gate, Van Gogh had a desire to paint, to get out what he was feeling. He thoughtfully painted with brightness, light, and color. Maybe there was an overwhelming feeling of fading away, and he counteracted that notion with bold strokes, movement and dark rich color in his paintings. In his childhood, I discovered he was actually the second child to be named Vincent Willem Van Gogh (who died as an infant), and he was overwhelmed with the notion of being insignificant and irrelevant at the start of life, not being able to live up to his predecessor. This feeling followed him to his untimely end, never getting to see that he became one of the most significant painters of all time.

And that’s what I take away from this exhibit. Sometimes we can get overwhelmed, but we allow that to channel in different ways. How will you experience Immersive Van Gogh?

Immersive Van Gogh will be at the Lighthouse Artspace (4301 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251) now extended until March 13, 2022! Tickets range from $39.99 to $49.99. There are also Date Night and VIP packages available.

(Additional notes: Covid-19 precautions are definitely taken with masks encouraged, sanitation and socially distant circles to enjoy the exhibition. Rental cushions, stools, and chairs are also available.)

Fangirling Over Tiny Homes at The Home & Garden Show!

I don’t think I’ve shared this with very many people outside my immediate family, but I am a big fan of tiny houses. I have been watching shows about tiny houses for a few years now, starting with Tiny House Nation, Tiny House World, and more recently, Tiny Luxury. The main reason I love tiny homes is because of the clever use of space. I’m always amazed at the innovative storage ideas, or how people pare down their belongings to just the essentials. A lot of those ideas came in handy when we moved to Arizona, and we have storage ottomans everywhere!

I have never been in a tiny home before, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard about the “Tiny Home Street of Dreams” at this year’s Maricopa County Home Show at Westworld in Scottsdale! While The Home Show has many great exhibits, vendors and activities, I have to say that my main focus was to experience everything I could about their tiny homes exhibitors. I’m so happy my husband agreed to indulge the tiny home fangirl in me and accompany me to the Maricopa County Home Show!

We currently live in Mesa, so while the drive to Scottsdale isn’t that long, I wanted to get an early start. We grabbed breakfast on the way to Westworld, and arrived 30 minutes before the gates opened. My goal was to get to the “Tiny Homes Street of Dreams” early because I wasn’t sure of how popular the exhibit would be, and I’m so glad we did! Once we made it through all the tiny homes, we looked back at the line and it tripled in size! While we didn’t get to spend too much time in each tiny home, it really didn’t take much to get through them, and I took as many pictures as I could!

Uncharted Tiny Homes

Adventure Series – The Outpost

The very first tiny home we went in was with Uncharted Tiny Homes, from their Adventure Series called The Outpost. It was definitely more appropriate for outdoor adventures, perfect to take camping. But they had two other tiny homes nearby called The Limited and The Mansion Elite. I really liked the flow of the The Mansion Elite because the kitchen was separated from the bathroom/laundry room. I often see bathrooms and kitchens in the same area in tiny homes, but The Mansion Elite had them on opposite sides. After looking at their site, I would have loved to see a model from The Flat because it looks like there is an option for the bedroom to be private and on the floor level instead of a loft.

The Limited
I believe this is the outside of The Mansion Elite
The Mansion Elite

AZ Container Dwellings

The next tiny house on the tour was from AZ Container Dwellings. I have to say, one tiny home that I always had a hard time wrapping my head around was ones made from shipping containers. I think it’s the size that really confounds me because it seems like not much can fit inside. But the one from AZ Container Dwellings seemed to be quite happily situated like a studio flat. I could imagine this more like a mobile office space, where you could see a client and then stay the night if needed.

Cavco Park Models and Cabins

The Veranda

The largest of the tiny homes was actually a brand new model that was unveiled at the Maricopa County Home Show from Cavco Park Models and Cabins called The Veranda. It had a wrap around porch, full sized appliances in the kitchen, a distinguishable dining and living area, a good sized bath, and the loft had actual stairs.

My only hesitation with a loft is the headroom. After having gone up to experience the loft in The Veranda, I could sit up on the bed just fine, but I then realized I would have to crawl to get around. But I guess the functionality of a bedroom in these types of homes is mainly for sleeping. The rest of The Veranda feels like a good sized apartment.

Checking out The Veranda

United Tiny Homes

The Companion

The final tiny houses we went in were by United Tiny Homes, and they had a furnished model and an unfurnished model. I believe the furnished model we saw was called The Companion, and the unfurnished one was The Companion + (only because I think the picture I took was of the private bedroom).

The Companion had a wide walkway, and I finally got to see a combination washer/dryer, which was in the kitchen. I noticed that a lot of smaller European homes have the same set up. The larger Companion + has enough room for a private bedroom and closet.

TinyCamp Sedona

The last exhibitor was not quite a tiny home, but more like a tiny kitchen/bar. It was from TinyCamp Sedona, which is a tiny home retreat in Sedona. They have five custom tiny home experiences for short term rentals. The location in Sedona is already ideal, and each of the experiences look like fantastic getaways!

Inside the Maricopa County Home Show

I didn’t get very many pictures of the indoor portion of The Home Show, but if you’ve been to the San Diego County Fair, it reminds me the vendor booth set up at the Bing Crosby Hall. What I will have to take part in the next time we go, is the Handmade Headquarters. There was a schedule of crafts, and I just missed the “Summertime Lemonade Glass Etching” class. When my husband went on the search for a waterfall showerhead (which he found then purchased), and I walked around on my own. After wandering around a bit, I did find an impromptu bath bomb painting session by Carefree Bath & Body. I didn’t stay to do a painting session there, so I bought one to finish at home! I’ll edit this post to add my finished project later!

Overall, it was a fun experience! I will say again that arriving early was the smartest thing we could do, because it allowed us to get to what I considered the main attraction (tiny homes), and enjoy the experience rather than wait in a long line. We got there at 9:30 am (the doors opened at 10:00 am) and we finished around 12:30pm. Also, it’s worth it to sign up for discount tickets because we paid a total of $6 for two people! Until the next home show, cheers!