CAFE EQUINOX + FAMILY TREE NURSERY

Chlorophyll and Coffee! A botanically inspired cafe nestled inside a greenhouse. Doesn't that sound like bliss! What if I told you there's a place in Kansas City, where you can feast your eyes on some lush greenery and sip on coffee. If you were sad that Thou Mayest Coffe had closed their Crossroads location, now its time to rejoice. Cafe Equinox is the latest from the Thou Mayest Coffee group and is located inside Family Tree Nursery's Shawnee location.

When I had first moved to Kansas City, we stayed in Shawnee for a few years and Family Tree Nursery, especially its Shawnee location, is an old haunt of mine. So when the coolest coffee shop in town, opened inside the nursery, I knew it would soon become my new favorite.

Imagine the winters of Kansas City. Just when cabin fever had started to set in, we would head to the Cafe Equinox(after they opened in Febrary 2019) and enjoy a cup of coffee, in the comfiest and comfiest seating to let our creative juices flowing. Mid-March they moved their seating to the front patio, but they did keep up the cozy-comfy vibe, with copious amounts of coffee and chlorophyll.

And any place, which allows us to enjoy as a family of four, always wins extra brownie points from us. Yes, if you are a pet-parent, there is another place to add to your list. Cafe Equinox and Family Tree Nursery have become a favorite for both of our kids - both human and furry. It is family-friendly, in the best possible way.

Let's talk about Food, shall we? It is just, not your regular cappuccino and latte which you can expect on the menu. It is almost like Mixology(virgin) with Coffee. We loved their Spring seasonal drink - Elderberry Ginger Espresso Tonic. It is elderberry, ginger, tonic, espresso, and candied ginger. Cafe Equinox features Coffee from Thou Mayest Coffee and Tea from Kansas City-based Chai Pod and Chicago's Spirit Tea. Baked goodies from Heirloom Bakery and gluten-free and vegan options from Mud Pie Bakery, make the location a great place for weekend breakfasts with the family.

Its really fun to hang out in a nursery, plan the additions to our garden, and sip on some good coffee. Our daughter loves learning about new plants, or and choose the ones she wants to start taking care of. The crew at Family Tree Nursery are so very knowledgeable and helpful. We needed help with the grass in our back yard. We had taken pictures of our yard, and they were able to help us with our questions with their suggestions. We picked out some amazing succulents. I do not have the best of green thumbs, but I do try. Our next target is our vegetable patch at home. Since our last visit was in late Spring, we were asked to wait till the last frost which usually happens around Mothers' day weekend. I need to go back soon, and before that, I needed to finish this post.

So go on and get your Chlorophyll and Caffeine fix! Support your local small businesses! Cafe hours are Monday-Saturday: 7 am to 5pm. Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm. 

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FREESTYLE POKÉ, OVERLAND PARK - SOFT OPENING

If you know me, then you know, how I and my family are a huge fan of Freestyle Poke. While we love trying out new places, we also do love our list of favorites. You can often spot us in the patio of the River Market location of Freestyle Poke. When they debuted in Catering, I was there. So when they had a soft opening, for their brand new location in Overland Park, I had to be there. Freestyle Poke Overland Park opens to the public on May 24th, 2019.

While I love their River Market location, I can tell you that I am super happy that their new location was in Overland Park. Still the same amazing food, but at 1/4th the drive. If you wanted to learn more about Freestyle Poke, then you could read my previous article Here.

If you are a Sushi lover, then you should give Freestyle Poke, a try. And if you are already their fan, then its time to rejoice, as they have a brand new location, for those of us who live on the southern parts of the KC metro area. Rumor has it, that they are planning another location in Liberty, very soon. They are Gluten Free, Keto friendly if you have any dietary restrictions. 

Their Overland Park location is on 135th Street and Metcalfe Avenue. They have introduced some changes to their menu since I last dined with them. For instance, now they have three choices, when it comes to their Bowl Size- Good, Better, and Best. The Good size gives you two choices of Protein, Better gives you three choices of protein, and Best gives you four choices of protein. I always opt for their Good size, while my husband always opts for Best.

They are a brand who are committed to serving fish which has been obtained through sustainable fishing and has been harvested responsibly. As the fish has to served within a set number of hours of being harvested, the quality does come at a very fair price, I can tell you. They have also started a Kids Bowl, which I can tell you, is such a savior for parents like us.

If you are at the Overland Park location, you can't miss the amazing decor, which transports you to a tropical destination. Poke as you know, originated from Hawaii. The mural at the new location is so breathtaking and it coveys the legend of the Eagle and the Condor. Freestyle Poke, as a brand, seeks to find the balance between them.

So when are you planning to head to the brand new location of Freestyle Poke? Are you confused about what to order? Let me help you out. First choose a bowl size - Good, Better, best. You could opt for a Signature Bowl, or you could go the creative route, and create your own bowl. Besides the great food at Freestyle Poke, what I love about them, is how wonderful their staff are. They always have the best suggestions, on what pairs with what. Go ahead, and enjoy your long weekend, with some Freestyle Poke!

It was wonderful to spend the evening with my family and fellow foodies. If you are wondering why my daughter has makeup, its because we raced back straight from her dress rehearsal. Thank you Freestyle Poke and TKG Agency for the invite! You guys really know how to throw a wonderful party!

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KCFW FW'19 - WEDNESDAY NIGHT RUNWAY - A RECAP

Time for some long-due posts from Kansas City Fashion Week. I had attended KCFW Fall Winter-19 some time back, and it was as spectacular as ever. This post and my other posts got immensely delayed, as my family got handed out the worst curveball by life. I and my husband were celebrating our 10th Marriage anniversary when my husband felt sick. He was diagnosed with Stage 2 Testicular Cancer and had to go in for emergency surgery. He will be starting his chemos soon. Now, you know why I had been MIA from the blog. Anyways, let's get back to KCFW memories, shall we?

Besides the Media Night at 28 Event Space, I attended Wednesday and Thursday nights of runway shows. I know, those are not my typical nights for KCFW, but I decided to try out something different this season. This season's runway shows were held at the Grand Hall of Kansas City, downtown, with a European style runway. Very Thankful to Team KCFW for the fabulous Front Row seats, on both nights.

 If you haven't yet checked out my recap of KCFW FW'19 Media Night, then click Here.

The first designer of the evening was Kamber Elyse(Kamber Causemaker). She launched her latest collection RED: a spur of the moment, kick of the boot, take no bull collection. She defines herself as a country soul with couture goals. From tortoise-shell to fur, from shoulder details to a variety of hemlines, loved the eclectic mix. The earthy tones of the collection made it so Fall-perfect!

The next designer of the evening was Sew Unrelaxed (Missy Isamoore). She gets inspiration and boldness of her designs from experiencing different cities. One look at the colors and prints of her current collection will show you how her collection and style can be best described as AfroPolitan- a mix of Afro-centric and Cosmopolitan. Sew Unrelaxed features casual wear, swimwear, evening wear, and even menswear. And if you had thought vibrant pinks were a Spring -Summer staple, then she forces you to re-think about your color palette for Fall-Winter

Shelby Harvey is a designer based in Springfield, MO. While "Bridal wear," is her first love, she is interested in bringing her unique design perspective into ready-to-wear line. Her latest collection is inspired by Proverbs 31 and Virtuous Women and marked her debut in Kansas City Fashion Week. From flared pants to fanny gaps, from graphic tees to dreamy capes, I loved her attention to detail, in her ready-to-wear collection.

The next showcase was by Eddie Bauer from Oak Park Mall, who brought in the hottest colors of the season, in the coolest of outerwear

Hally Vollbrecht was the next designer of the evening. She had studied fashion not only at Iowa State but also at London Colleg of Fashion. She has worked in the industry interning for Marchesa, also at Free People as an assistant designer, to name a few. Loved how edgy yet romantic her collection was. The risque element clearly stole my heart.

Last but not least was XYZ by Jason Metzler. He was on Project Runway Junior and he has been creating clothing which empowers women. His goal is to make women all the world feel confident and powerful. And his latest collection was true to his goal. What an amazing finale, to the first night of runway shows, for a brand new season of KCFW.

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WHITE DENIM AND CHAMBRAY : SPRING STYLE SESSIONS

A few things don't change about me, no matter what happens in my life. I shall continue to champion for animals in need, I shall continue to write, and I shall continue to be in my uniform - denim. Yes, I wear denim, 355 days out of 365 every year and I would not have it any other way. So it makes sense that many of the OOTD posts on my Blog involve denim. Last but not least, these pictures were shot by my all-time favorite photographer, who is a bit under the weather. Waiting for him to get better soon so that we continue to shoot more and more fabulous content.  

Although it has been crazily raining here in Kansas City, and I hear on an impending super cyclone on its way to India, I am dreaming about bright sunny crisp Spring mornings. And since I wanted my style yet another Denim on Denim outfit, it made sense to style my White Denim, yet again. Yes, I wear my White Denim throughout the year and I love it. 

One of my favorite combinations is white denim and chambray. While I do have a few versions of Denim on Denim outfits on my Blog, I didn't realize that  I hadn't chronicled one with white denim or chambray. Chambray is so iconic when one thinks of Spring-Summer, so it was a no-brainer. To play off the denim, I wanted to use warm accents. My denim and Chambray shirt are both from Old Navy, although this isn't sponsored by the brand. My denim is the Rockstar by Old Navy and with its mid-rise, its a great option for my love handles and muffin top. 

My hair has very Warm highlights - Caramel Toffee Foilage, which I got touched up recently. My sunglasses are my orange rimmed Rayban Aviators, which I absolutely adore. I love carrying big mom bags, as I call them. I had found this beauty at the Target clearance rack and fell in love with the shape. Its amazing what you find at the Target clearance rack. 

My trusty Leopard Pumps from Nine West, which are super comfortable, even if you are walking in them the whole day. What you cannot see clearly in the pictures are the silver hoops I am wearing, has these amber colored gems on it, which catch the light most beautifully. Red lipsticks are my staple, but for this outfit, I knew I had to carry on the thread of warmth. So this orange toned beauty is MAC's Lady Danger. It is retro matte, a try orange-red, and an absolute conversation starter. 

How do you like styling your denim on denim? Let me know in the comments.

SHOP MY OUTFIT :
 

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