Tag Archives: Lifestyle Blogger

Back To You

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted here on my blog.  Quite a bit has happened since last summer, but I feel we are finally at a place where I can actually settle down and get creative again.

First of all, we bought a new home!  Last year, we lived in Chandler, Arizona.  While staying in a lovely rental, we searched all over The Valley to find someplace that we could call home.  We finally found our forever home in Mesa, at a brand new development near the Queen Creek area!  Our new home has four bedrooms and a “flex” room, which means we all have our own rooms, and we have a guest room (even my mom has her own “wing”).  We bought it as a “spec home”, which means the house was move-in ready.  It’s also a smart home, so the appliances are all wifi capable!

A new home in a new neighborhood meant a new school for Dominic!  Dominic’s new school had it’s inaugural year last year, and it is literally around the corner from our house.  So being a new student was shared by everyone in his school, and all of his new friends are within walking distance from home.  It’s so great to know he will grow up with these kids, and hopefully build lifelong friendships!  Not only that, Dominic has played soccer in the fall, has a new team this winter and is also playing the trumpet in his school’s band!

My husband, Deon, has been quite busy himself!  He did a lot of home projects:  installing lights all around the house, ceiling fans in every room, a backsplash in the kitchen, added shelves and a work area in the garage, and designed our backyard (built by Mesquite Landscaping), which our puppy, Joey, enjoys it immensely!  He has also been busy with work, going on a few fantastic business trips, including Denmark and New York.

As I mentioned earlier, we have a “flex” room, which we could easily have turned into another bedroom or opened up the doorway for another living area.  But we kept the French doors and turned it into my home office, since I work remotely for the same company I did when we were in San Diego.  I’ve truly made it the room I never had in the 80’s, filling it with all of my music, Funko Pop figures, retro knick-knacks, and even an arcade game!  While I’ve created an area to concentrate fully on my job that is separate from the rest of the house, it’s also a space where I can create, and I’m starting to rediscover myself as a blogger and influencer.  Recently, I did most of my influencer work microblogging on some of my social media platforms.  If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that I worked extensively with Phoenix Fashion Week, and I joined a foodie network.  But I truly have missed blogging, because it allows me to write creatively, which I really do enjoy.

As we are finally settling down in our new home here in Arizona, I will continue to share our adventures and my thoughts here on the blog.  Thanks for continuing to follow along, and cheers to all to come in the new year! 

To live out in the Arizona sand

I have felt so lucky to have met some amazing people, designers and artists since moving to Arizona. After having lived in California for so long, I wasn’t sure how I would acclimate to my new home state, but I feel like I’m truly doing very well out here, trying to live my best life, as the saying goes!

I’ve had the opportunity to go to several fashion events out here, and at one of these events, I met the folks behind a great new local clothing company. Frankie Pina, owner of Arizona Life Apparel, was born and raised in Arizona and wanted to create a clothing brand that would celebrate everything he loves about his home state.

When thinking about Frankie’s passion for Arizona, I wanted to have a photo shoot somewhere unique to where I currently live, like the Chandler Museum.

Speaking of budding artists: My son Dominic took all of these amazing photos!

Outfit:  AZ Life Flag Tee (Black/White) c/o Arizona Life Apparel; Izod jeans; Ash sneakers (no longer available); Zeelol glasses; Mesh Coffee Watch c/o Capitola (with discount); Marc Jacobs Saddle purse

FTC Disclosure:  I received the product in exchange for a product review.  Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

(Post title: Lyrics from “Rainy House Nights” by Joni Mitchell)

Birthday Goodies

I celebrated my 49th birthday this month, can you believe it? I used to fret each year that I got older, but with all of the wonderful changes that have happened already this year, I’m looking forward to many more new birthday adventures right here in Arizona!

I mentioned on Instagram a couple of weeks ago that I’ve found so many great birthday deals or freebies on my favorite brands, restaurants and stores, simply by signing up on their official sites or joining their loyalty programs. Here’s a list of one’s I was able to partake in during the month of May. Hopefully you’ll find something you like and celebrate your birthday all month long!

TORY BURCH

This birthday deal was by far my favorite and gets first mention: These are the coveted Miller Sandals that I’ve always wanted. It’s not that I didn’t just want to pay for them outright, but more so that I’m always looking for that great deal, and it happened in the month of my birthday! This lovely pair of tortoise shell printed patent Miller Sandals were already on sale, but the purchase was made sweeter with an additional birthday gift certificate of $50 off any purchase over $100! So these lovelies went from $198, down to $139, and was knocked down to just $89. Happy birthday to me!

LE MADELIENE

This is a deal that can only be used east of California, as Le Madeleine is located more in the Mid-West. I signed up for their rewards program, using their app and scanning it at every visit. Just for signing up, I’ve already received a free lemon madeleine, free butter croissant and a free pastry of my choice on my birthday! I chose the Strawberry Napoleon (pictured next to my mom’s Key Lime Cheesecake), and lunch was complete!

YOGURTLAND

My son and I got to enjoy this treat because if you sign up for Yogurtland Real Rewards, you get a free 3oz yogurt just for signing up and another free 3oz yogurt on your birthday. The treats for you and your favorite person!

CVS

I have had a CVS ExtraCare Card for years and have always taken advantage of their wonderful discounts and free bucks. But I didn’t know that they had birthday rewards until one showed up on my app: a free bottle of nail polish!

MADEWELL

Like the Tory Burch birthday certificate, Madewell offered their own $25 one for joining their loyalty program called Madewell Insider! I bought these sneaks, plus a cute checked shirt. With both on sale, I paid a mere $15 for the remainder of my birthday order!

ADDITIONAL DEALS

Here are a few more deals that I received. If it’s your birthday, have a great one, cheers!

IHOP: Join My iHop to get free birthday pancakes

Boba Tea Company: Sign up for “Sucker” Rewards for $10 off for your birthday

IKEA: Join the IKEA Family a $15 coupon and free meal with dessert during the month of your birthday

Top photo taken by Susan of Styles Revealed; all other photos taken by moi

Paperless Post: Adding a Personal Touch to Online Stationery

Since moving to Arizona, I’ve been thinking about how to communicate to all of our friends and family about where we are in our new home state. I’m actually glad I waited, because we are in the process of purchasing our new home and will be on the move again! I would like to communicate our new address by sending both an actual card, as well as online communication for those who we do not have a physical address for.

I was recently introduced to Paperless Post, a company that designs customizable online stationery. They believe that the connection between people is important, regardless of the medium. What’s also great is that it’s quite easy to get started! I began by creating an account and getting set up. Once I’m truly ready to send out our moving announcements, I’ll fill in the address book with contacts.

Paperless Post has so many choices of stationery styles, types, and designers. One of my favorites is the Kate Spade designs, because they’re so simple yet quirky and elegant. Although Paperless Post has hundreds of free choices, premium cards and premium upgrades are available for a nominal cost through coins, that can be purchased in packages.

The cards are adorable and fully customizable! I sent a practice card to myself to try it out. The card color variation, font, envelope interior, and background can all be changed to fit your needs, and the way they’re delivered is so much fun!

Since our move will be happening pretty soon, I’ll be browsing through all of the amazing choices at Paperless Post, cheers!


FTC Disclosure:  I received the product in exchange for a product review.  Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Voyage Phoenix Feature!

I know it’s been awhile, but I promise I’ve got some good posts to put up in the next few weeks!

First up: I was featured in an online magazine called Voyage Phoenix, where they highlight inspiring people in the Phoenix, Scottsdale & Tempe areas, including cities like Chandler, Gilbert and Mesa. Both myself and Susan from Styles Revealed have a feature, and we’re talking about how we got started as influencers, and how we balance blogging with work, our families and life in general. It was awesome to be included in such esteemed company. Thank you Voyage Phoenix for the feature!

http://voyagephoenix.com/interview/conversations-inspiring-cyrillynn-chen/

Inspired & Organic: Quench Naturel

Quench Naturel owners Gina and Allana

At the end of last year, I was introduced to a wonderful line of all natural face, body and hair products called Quench Naturel. The co-founders launched their new Sweet Moringa collaboration at beautiful Singh Meadows in Tempe, and I was invited to preview this new line. It was a lovely evening of sips, eats, and getting to know the Quench Naturel products.

The Sweet Moringa line is a collaboration between Quench Naturel and Singh Meadows, using Singh honey and Moringa powder to create a line that is moisturizing and nourishing.

I have been using the Quench Naturel products since December of last year, and the results have been simply amazing! My favorite products by far are the Get Whipped Body Souffle and the Sweet Moringa Botanical Body Mousse. Both have butters and oils that penetrate dry skin and restore moisture. I had come to my wits end regarding my feet because I have tried everything to moisturize and heal them. In a desperate and last ditch attempt before seeking professional help, I used the Get Whipped Body Souffle on my feet. In the first week of use, the dry skin completely disappeared and the cracks on my heels have completely healed!

Another favorite is the lip balm, and I was given the Sweet Moringa Emerald Honey Lip Quench. In this dry Arizona heat, the Lip Quench is a staple in my everyday make-up routine, whether alone or under a lipsick or gloss. I have also tried the Sweet Lip Scrub, which tastes as good as it works!

Not only is Quench Naturel an ethical company who believes in sustainability, they also do not test on animals. Additionally, their products contain all natural ingredients, and they are very transparent about what they use, listing them all on their site, along with their benefits (here). Being that my skin is very sensitive, I need products that will not cause irritation and I am so happy that I have finally found products that work with my needs!

Eyes of Ginger, Tears of Lime: Mixing it up With Moscow Muled

Living in Arizona means living through some interesting weather. I was so used to moderately hot summers and mildly cold winters in San Diego, my wardrobe never truly changed much, let alone how I kept myself cool or warm.

That all has changed now that I’m in Arizona. The winds were pretty biting in my neck of the woods (or desert) during the fall and winter, and now we’re already experiencing very warm weather, and it’s only spring. Just this week in Chandler, temperatures have reached up to at least 82 degrees!

With hot weather on the way, I’ve been thinking about ways to keep cool. We hydrate all the time with water, but sometimes my palate needs something a bit different. Being that I’ve gotten creative with meals lately, it would be logical to follow that I should get creative with drink recipes as well!

I received these beautiful mugs recently from Moscow Muled, a company who specializes in making 100% copper mugs, which are plated with nickel on the interior, for the perfect Moscow Mule. Additionally, Moscow Muled donates 15% of their profits to several non-profit organizations that work to stop impaired driving.

The folks at Moscow Muled have a recipe for the Ultimate Moscow Mule, which I decided to make sans alcohol. Although I enjoy the occasional libation, it’s not something I would drink on a regular basis. I love how refreshing a Moscow Mule tastes, so this mocktail version will give me all the taste I want, without the dizzying effects after!

I found this great recipe on Like Mother, Like Daughter (below) which is nearly the same as the Ultimate Moscow Mule recipe, but replaces the premium vodka with club soda and simple syrup. The result: an incredibly refreshing Moscow Mule mocktail alternative! Moscow Muled has some other great drink recipes to try, such as The Kumbucha Mule, the Mexican Mule and the White Russian Mule, all which can be found on their blog here.

My best friend is in town this week, so maybe we’ll try a few of these recipes, which I can serve perfectly in my new Moscow Muled copper mugs!

NON ALCOHOLIC MOSCOW MULE

Ingredients:

  • 1 lime (1-2 tablespoons juice, fresh is best)
  • 1 TBS simple syrup
  • 1/4 cup club soda
  • 3-4 mint leaves (torn, optional)
  • 3/4 cup Ginger Beer
  • crushed ice

Instructions:

  • In the bottom of cup, pour juice from lime, simple syrup and club soda. 
  • Add mint leaves if desired.
  • Fill the cup about half way with ice.
  • The pour about 3/4 a cup of ginger beer over the ice. 
  • Garnish with mint leaves and a lime wedge if desired, and serve.

FTC Disclosure:  I received the product in exchange for a product review.  Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Post title is from a song called “Claymation” by Sister Suvi

Phoenix Fashion Week: Spring Into Style 2019

This Saturday is Phoenix Fashion Week’s “Spring into Style” event, showcasing six top Arizona stylists with six runway shows, and one stylist will win “Stylist of the Year”. There will also be pop-up shops, beauty product samples, sips and treats. I’ll be there as well, with fellow San Diego Style Blogger, Susan of Styles Revealed, who recently moved to Chandler! Tickets can still be purchased at www.SpringIntoStyle2019.eventbrite.com, and range from $50 to $125.

Featured stylists include:
• Ashley Paige – 80’s Fashion
• Beth Yohanny – White on White
• Braden Conwell – Utility
• Candace Carter – Monochrome
• Jazmine Nash – All Doll’d Up
• Timothy Boado – Men’s Box Suits

In the meantime, here are some pictures from last year’s Phoenix Fashion Week 2018 runway shows, including what I wore each night. Cheers!

Day one outfit
Tiffany of Glitz and Glam by Tiff, interviewing designer, Qmulative
Outfits from designer Being Dapper
My favorite gown by designer Svetik Haute Couture (photos by Tiffany)
Getting interviewed by model, Bianca Mead, for Cox Media
With Tiffany at the Peroni Italy booth
Day two outfit
Day three outfit

Cave Tools Meat Injector Review

Sorry for the long wait between posts! I’m still trying to balance the best way to schedule my blogging with my home based job, and I can tell you I’m still figuring it out!

I mentioned back in December in my “Absolutely Last Minute Gift Guide” that my husband, Deon, tried out the Cave Tools Stainless Steel Meat Injector. After Deon followed a delicious new recipe, the pork tenderloin turned out to be juicy and flavorful, all made easier by using the Cave Tools Meat Injector!

My husband found this recipe on The Spruce Eats for their “Easy Pork Injection Marinade“.
Deon liked the different choices of gauges for the injector

To purchase your own Cave Tools Stainless Steel Meat Injector, click the links below AND, you can get 15% off with the following code!

Discount code: INJECTOR15

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/s/ref=sr_nr_p_89_13?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A1055398%2Cn%3A284507%2Cn%3A289754%2Cn%3A760358%2Ck%3Ameat+injector%2Cp_89%3ACave+Tools&keywords=meat+injector&ie=UTF8&qid=1536814943&rnid=2528832011&ajr=1&tag=mdmrare-20

Cave Tools: https://cavetools.com/products/marinade-meat-injector-kit

FTC Disclosure:  I received the product in exchange for a product review.  Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Absolutely Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide 2018: THE ARIZONA EDITION!

I’m back to posting again, and what better way to usher in a holiday post with the return of the “Absolutely Last Minute Gift Guide”!  As mentioned in previously, we live in Chandler, which I recently found out is the fourth largest city in Arizona.  The picture above is of the Tumbleweed Christmas Tree located in Downtown Chandler, which is a five minute drive from our house.  Now that I’m officially outside of California, three of the four suggestions in my gift guide are from The Grand Canyon State!


Sibley’s West

Located in Historic Downtown Chandler, Sibley’s West is a wonderful and truly unique souvenir shop.  All of their items are only “From Arizona”, which is their mantra, sourcing artisans and companies based here.  If you can’t visit their shop in Chandler, they have gift certificates available on their website and many fantastic gift items to choose from on their online shop.

One of my favorite items I recently purchased as a gift is a Travel Tea Set and loose leaf tea from Tea Royalty.  Fortunately, I live right around the corner from Sibley’s, so I’m definitely going back and getting one for myself!


Quench Naturel

I was recently invited to an event at Singh Meadows in Tempe for the launch of Quench Naturel’s Sweet Moringa line.  They use only all natural ingredients for their products, and everything is available on their online store.  I will be providing a full review soon, but rest assured that all their products would make wonderful gifts!


QMULATIVE

I first heard about and met designer Quinlan of QMULATIVE at this year’s Phoenix Fashion Week (pictured above, being interviewed by my friend Tiffany of Glitz and Glam by Tiff).  He was the 2017 Lifestyle Designer of the year at PHXFW, and is known for his AZ Pocket Tees (I’ll have my own soon, and will be sure to post pictures).  His designs can either be purchased on his online shop, or in the Tucson area at shops like Why I Love Where I Live and Summit Hut.


Cave Tools

I have been working with Cave Tools for a few years now, having my husband Deon try out several of their wonderful products for cooking his delicious BBQ.  Any of their products would make excellent gifts for that BBQ Pit Master in your life, and if you can’t decide on anything in their gift section, they also have gift certificates available.

We recently tried their Stainless Steel Meat Injector, and look out for how we used it for a recent grill session in an upcoming post!

(All pictures by me, except for the AZ Pocket Tee pictures provided by Quinlan of QMULATIVE)