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.
Last Tuesday, I took my son Dominic to the world premiere of Daddy Daughter Trip at Harkins Theatre in the Scottsdale Fashion Square! It was another amazing Harkins event, with so much happening!
In addition to Harkins’ INCREDIBLY comfy theater seats, drinks and popcorn were provided, as well as a glamorous red carpet event prior to the showing. And BONUS: Rob Schneider introduced the movie in each theatre (see the video below)!
Rob Schneider plays Larry Buble, an inventor who is always dreaming of his next big creation. His talented artistic daughter, Meara (played by Schneider’s real life daughter Miranda Scarlett Schneider), dreams of the ultimate Spring Break, and craziness ensues as they attempt to make that happen! Dominic and I had fun, laughing out loud at this sweet love letter to Arizona and reminder to never letting go of your dreams.
Daddy Daughter Trip premiered only in Harkins Theatres on Friday September 30th, and what’s even more fun is that Mr. Schneider made appearances at Harkins all throughout The Valley this past weekend! I want to thank Harkins for inviting me and Dominic to this fun and fantastic event!
I remember when I first tried Frosted Frenzy Cupcakes: It was last August, and our foodie networking group got the chance to try their cupcakes. We took home six cupcakes to sample and post our reviews and pictures on our Instagram accounts. I was instantly impressed by how delicious their cupcakes were, and became such a big fan of theirs. So much so, that I have driven to several events in the Mesa area, just to ensure that I grab at least four to six cupcakes!
The first six cupcakes that introduced me to the wonderful world of Frosted Frenzy!
Frosted Frenzy cupcakes have been voted the “Best Cupcake” in The Valley by Phoenix Magazine in 2019 and 2020, and are on the list again for 2021! The reason I personally love them so much is the subtle yet dynamic flavors that they create. The texture is even and consistent in every cupcake, and although the flavors are not overpowering, they are rich and so delicious. Their buttercream frosting is so smooth and light, and they are beautifully decorated. It’s not difficult to get a great picture of these gourmet masterpieces! I love their cupcakes so much, that my husband made a special order for my birthday this past weekend! I want to thank Tami and Brian for always being so sweet and kind when I see them, and for letting me try “The King” cupcake, which is a banana cupcake, topped with peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Both my husband and I absolutely loved that cupcake, and we kind of tore into it before I could get a picture! But I did take a pictures of the rest of my birthday cupcakes, which are pictured below.
I wholeheartedly agree with Phoenix Magazine’s readers, that Frosted Frenzy has the best cupcakes in The Valley! If you want to find out where they are headed next, make sure to follow them on Instagram, and be sure to order ahead on their website. I should know, I went to an event a few weeks ago to visit their truck, and buy a few cupcakes onsite. As I approached the front of the line, Tami informed me that they are just about sold out and only had three cupcakes left, so I bought them all! Duly noted that I will always order ahead!
Thanks again Tami and Brian for my special birthday cupcakes, because these are not only my favorites, but my husband’s and son’s as well!
SALTED CARAMEL – brown sugar caramel cupcake filled with handmade caramel and topped with vanilla buttercream, caramel drizzle and salted caramel crisp pearls LEMON BLOSSOM – lemon-infused cupcake topped with lemon buttercream and crystal sugar ORANGE BLOSSOM – orange-infused cupcake topped with an orange-infused buttercream and crystal sugar STRAWBERRY LEMONADE – lemon-infused cupcake topped with strawberry buttercream and crystal sugar My son’s favorite: LEMON BERRY – lemon-infused cupcake filled with handmade raspberry filling and topped with lemon buttercream and crystal sugar My husband’s favorite: CLASSIC CHOCOLATE – valrhona chocolate cupcake topped with chocolate buttercream and chocolate sprinkles
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 LimitedI believe this is the outside of The Mansion EliteThe 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.
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!
Last month, a few influencers traveled to Litchfield, Arizona to support a beautiful local farm called Blue Sky Organic Farms. Leased farmland is quickly being sold for housing and retail development, so farms like Blue Sky Organic Farms needs support through their CSA (Community Supported Agriculture subscription) or through their amazing Farm Store.
The Farms Store sells lots of fantastic local and regional brands. I purchased a bag of Noble Bread and garlic seasoning by Molly’s Mills, along with a Blue Sky Organic Farms hemp tote and coffee mug. After seeing the goodies I brought home, my husband wants to return to purchase some other produce and spices!
To further support local farmland, we were treated to a bag of Spud Buds potatoes. Spud Buds is a three-generation family potato farm from Idaho, and they deliver to Maricopa and Pinal counties, right here in Arizona! I will cover a few recipes we made with Spud Buds golden potatoes in a future post, and they were absolutely delicious!
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Spud Buds created Spud Funds to assist organizations with reaching their fund raising goals by having access to restaurant quality potatoes. Check out their site for more information on how you can help!
Thank you to Swell Video for bringing together a few influencers to raise awareness in helping to support local & regional farms!
As a part of my blog renaissance, I’ve decided to do a series called “What’s Good In AZ”, to showcase my favorite places in my new home state. And what better way to kick it off than with a place that I visit pretty regularly at least once a month: Toduken BBQ!
My first time trying the OG Baboy skewer and Ube Mochi. Many thanks to Winchell (@winchsight) for holding my tray that night!
I first met met John Cornelio briefly when I went to the Asian District Night Market last year (pre-pandemic). He had a set up there as a vendor, and I had his OG Baboy (skewer) with a square of Ube Mochi for the first time (pictured above), and I swear I became hooked! I heard he had a booth at Uptown Market in Phoenix, and had planned to make it out there for more freshly grilled BBQ dishes, when the pandemic really started to get hold. John then moved his menu to a pre-order only set up, which meant he had to take orders that would need to be prepared ahead of time, so that they could be heated at home. I made the trip to Phoenix from Mesa twice a month, trying anything and everything he had to offer. Pictured here in this blog post are a few of my favorites!
Now, John is able to actually grill, and the dishes he makes just get better and better! Not only are his dishes delicious and creative, but I can taste our Filipino roots in every bite. If you like what you see here, follow him on Instagram (@toduken_bbq) to see what he’s got cooking and to pre-order, because he usually sells out quickly! Cheers to John and his family for some of the best Filipino inspired goodness in Arizona! If you want to get to know John and Toduken better, check out this article in the Phoenix New Times!
Ube Mochi by Rina. If and when it’s available at Toduken, it’s worth every bite! Bao Bun Kit, which is an amazing take on siopao!Grilling in action!My new favorite: The Choriburger, which is made with ground longganisaWith John & Anthony at Uptown Market back in May 2020. Anthony is a fellow influencer, check him out on Instagram @az_cookiemonster
Can you believe I made these? I don’t know exactly when I fell in love with macarons, but it has been quite the love affair, and I finally decided that it’s time to make them at home! I’ve been baking some tasty treats lately, but I’m particularly proud of these macarons, especially considering these were my first ever attempt!
I looked at many recipes to find one that would be the simplest, but I quickly found that making macarons would not be an easy endeavor. I finally found this recipe from Tasty: How To Make Macarons, because it not only included the written recipe, but a step-by-step video along with tips to ensure you make the best possible ones. And although I followed the recipe exactly as written, I discovered a few things about the process that I will be sure to improve:
Follow the directions in the recipe absolutely to the letter. Do not skip any steps, including tapping the cookie sheet to release the air bubbles and allowing the cookies to rest prior to baking. I let the macarons sit for only 30 minutes after piping them and tapping them. In the future, I will let them sit for an hour before baking them.
Make all the macarons all at once. I made them in two separate sessions, which allowed the batter to sit for more than 30 minutes for the second batch. I will purchase an additional cookie sheet so that I can pipe them all at once, bake and cool them at the same time. I think this will allow them to rise better to create better “feet”. My second batch was not as well risen as the first batch.
Decrease the sugar in the buttercream filling. I followed the recipe and used 3 cups of sugar. I will confess that I ran out of powdered sugar, and only used 2 cups, but then I added another cup of granulated sugar to make up for it. I think I will only use 2 cups as the filling was too sweet.
Really let the macarons “bloom” for 24 hours…seriously! I had eaten a macaron not long after assembling them and it had a chewiness to it that I know is not a part of the macaron experience. I then tried the ones that I kept in an airtight container the following day, and they were absolutely amazing!
All in all, it was an amazing experience, and after I make one more basic batch following this Tasty recipe, I will get more creative and make more flavor combinations! If anyone tries this recipe, let me know. Happy baking, cheers!
I’m all about having a great cuppa, but a cup of chocolate tea? I recently had the pleasure of trying this flavorful tea from the Cacao Tea Co and not only does it have an amazing chocolate taste, but it’s rich in antioxidants and flavonoids. This tea is 100% organic, as well as gluten-free, caffeine-free and sugar free!
The delicious chocolate taste is so robust because this tea is actually made from cacao husks, so it’s not infused. I added a bit of stevia to mine and I swear, it tastes just like hot coco!
If you would like a bag, they can be purchased directly from the Cacao Tea Co website for $17.50, and they ship worldwide! If you live in the US, they can ship your tea with in one business day!
Check out my slow pour video below, and let me know in the comments if you love it as much as I do!
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.
