PASTA WEEK AT JAZZ: A LOUISIANA KITCHEN

Calling all pasta lovers! Did you know that Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen is celebrating its first Annual Pasta Week. Yes, a whole week dedicated to one of our favorite comfort foods - pasta. How brilliant is that! I can personally tell you how often I have reached for a bowl of pasta when I was out of ideas of how I planned dinner. So I will be giving my kitchen a break this week and will be enjoying the pasta selections at Jazz. I can tell you I will be in pasta heaven by the time I finish. Your attention piqued? Pasta Week is being celebrated from January 26th through February 1st at KCMO, Indy and KCK locations of Jazz.

So how does it work? Is it like Kansas city Restaurant week, where there are multiple courses are offered at a set price? Well, no, pasta Week works differently. Pasta Week is a brand-new annual celebration created for Jazzaholiocs to enjoy one of jazz's specialty items: saucy, creamy pasta.

Every day of the week, Jazz shall be highlighting a pasta dish as their special. Personally speaking, I have always been a fan of Chef's specials whenever I have eaten out. And do you know what makes the pasta selections at Jazz so special? Well, they are pasta with a Cajun-Creole twist. If I wasn't already in love with a bowl of pasta, then they have added some of my favorite spice blends and some of my favorite meats.

What's on the Pasta menu, you might ask? Let's start with my favorite, shall we?  Crawfish and Andouille Fettuccine.  I am a huge fan of any kind of shellfish, and crawfish is an ultimate favorite. yes, I am one of those people, who order an lb of boiled crawfish and also finish it off at one go. Crawfish tail meat sauteed with spicy andouille sausage tossed with a Parmesan cream sauce. I can tell you that the sweetness of the crawfish balances out the spicy notes of the andouille sausage, and that parmesan cream sauce brings it all together, like a match made in heaven.

Blackened Chicken Fettucine was the highlighted pasta for Sunday, January 26th.  But you can order it any day, you decide to head there. If you like spice, then this dish is calling out your name. It is the spicier version of their classic Chicken Fettucine. First, they sear the chicken tenders on a cast-iron skillet and then they saute it into their most popular pasta dish.

Cajun Cacciatore is the third highlight of the week. If you are not in the mood for the creamy Parmesan sauce but want a little pasta to fill you up, this is for you. Their spicy Piquant will get this chicken Kickin'!

Papa Vic's Pasta is the fourth highlight of pasta week at Jazz. Vic always wants you to eat your veggies, so they added the Holy Trinity of cajun-Creole cuisine - bell peppers, celery, and onions. Not your regular Mire Poiux here. Cue some mushrooms and a creamy Alfredo sauce. An amazing creation for those of you looking for a veggie option in your pasta selection.

Last but not the least, is Seafood Little Mamou. Half-red sauce, half-Alfredo Sauce and a whole lotta flavor.

So if you call yourself a foodie, and more so a pasta lover, like me, I can tell you this is a celebration you would not want to miss. With that amazing pasta line-up, I am sure there's something for even the most hard-core pasta fans. 

Besides the food, I always love the ambiance at Jazz. NOLA vibes, and the amazing live music. Did I tell you, that just when we were about to leave after our dinner, the singer for Monday night, mark, sang our song! yes, Wonderwall! Now that's what I call the perfect end to a perfect date night! Great food, great ambiance a great date! 

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KANSAS CITY RESTAURANT WEEK WITH JAZZ- A LOUISIANA KITCHEN

Whether you consider yourself a foodie or not, you cannot help but rejoice at the fact that Kansas City Restaurant Week(KCRW) is here.10 days and 2 weekends of celebrating food in the KC Metro area. Kansas City Restaurant Week is undeniably a premier dining event that has been wooing the masses since 2010. Participating restaurants offer a curated and special menu priced at $15 a person for lunch and $35 for dinner, featuring three courses.

When you have more than 200 restaurants to choose from, where do you start? Or which restaurants make it to your list for the year? Well, we kick-started our eating journey through Kansas City Restaurant 2020 with Jazz-A Louisiana Kitchen.

It is no secret that we love Jazz and don't need an excuse to keep going back to savor our favorites. We have a long love story with New Orleans and Cajun-Creole cuisine.  Kansas City Restaurant Week 2020 surely helped us to discover some new favorites. 

In the first course, I tried out a Bowl of Gumbo. Their authentic New Orleans style Gumbo with a dark roux, Andouille sausage, seafood, dirty rice and plenty of flavor. It was hearty and honestly was a huge portion for an appetizer. That could be my whole meal on some weeknights. I love food which packs a flavor punch and this bowl of gumbo surely did that. My husband tried out Boudin with Beans and Rice. One 8 oz Boudin sausage link(rice and pork)served with their signature red beans and rice. 

 Moving on to course number 2. My husband opted for Blackened Catfish Hot Fanny. 2 blackened catfish filets, topped with a jalapeno and mushroom garlic butter sauce. Served on a bed of rice. with a side of succotash.

 Shrimps and grits are a guilty pleasure of mine. So when we were planning this evening, and I had seen shrimp and grits on the menu, I knew I had to try it out. And as we drove to Jazz, I kept thinking as to why I never did order Shrimp and Grits. On a normal day, my usual order entails Crawfish Etouffe. Shrimp and Grits is served together, but here at Jazz, what I tried out would seem like a deconstructed shrimp and grits. A hearty bowl of buttery grits served with succulent shrimp in their signature Pierre sauce.

  Last but not least, it was time for course number 3. Dessert. My husband opted for Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding An award-winning house specialty that is served hot and topped with a honey bourbon cream sauce.

If I am at Jazz, I have to order their signature Beignets. Four house-made beignets, topped with powdered sugar and served with Chantilly cream.  Crispy, crunchy yet pillowy soft when you bite into them. 

Kansas City Restaurant Week 2020 is on till January 19th. So make sure you check out the offerings at Jazz when you make your plans for the week. My heart and belly are full, with all the Cajun-Creole love, from Jazz. Bon Appetit!

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NEW YEAR, NEW SKIN WITH CHARLOTTE TILBURY MAGIC CREAM & CHARLOTTE TILBURY EYE RESCUE

Happy New Year everyone! With the new year, come new year resolutions. This year, my only resolution is to ensure that I and my family is healthy. And I started off on that route by ensuring healthier skin. So New Year, New Skin with Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue. 

 Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream has been creating hype ever since it was launched a few years ago. It is an award-winning facial moisturizer that supermodels and beauty editors swear by.  Legend has that this cream was inspired by Charlotte Tilbury's work backstage with models. Layering this cream under makeup would give a glow. I am not a makeup artist but I swear by the importance of layering a rich and thick facial moisturizer below my make up. I do have dry skin, which is sensitive, and I do prefer my make up to be full to medium coverage. And the Holiday season, with all the outings, was the perfect time to try out this hyped product layered under my make up.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream claims to revitalize dry skin. My skin is showing signs of age, and Winter is rough for my skin anyway. I can say that it is a great fit for anyone with normal to dry skin. For someone with oily skin, one might have to go with an even smaller portion of the cream on the skin, to avoid an oily T-zone. While I do not like overly perfumed products, I must add that this product just smells wonderful. My tropical soul shall forever be in love with Tropical flowers. And the fact that this product is perfumed and enhanced with Frangipani flower extracts, makes it an even perfect choice. Frangipani flower extract is also known for its moisturizing qualities. 

Hylarunic Acid is another hyped-ingredient that does wonders for skin conditions, like those of mine. Vitamin C & E brighten the skin to give it a glow. Camelia Oil, Rosehip Oil, and Shae Butter further intensify the moisturizing quotient of the product. last but not least Aloe Vera smoothens the appearance of the skin. The packaging is luxurious with Charlotte's signature rose gold tones. 

 The second product I tried from the Charlotte Tilbury collection was Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue. It claims to be the secret to a hydrated, youthful-looking and brighter under-eye area. I must confess that while I am diligent with my night creams, moisturizers and sunscreen in my skincare routine, I often miss the step with eye creams. So it was dit a try. I tried out both products for the last few weeks before I was comfortable writing an honest review for all of you. The eye cream does a good job of locking moisture and giving a radiant look. Time-released retinols work over time to help smooth the skin and boost the appearance of the under-eye area.

Skincare is very personal. But if you are someone like me, for whom the product quality matters most over everything, then you should definitely give Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream and Magic Eye Rescue a try. I will not deny the premium price tag, but then again good skincare often comes with it. Thank you Influenster and Charlotte Tilbury for giving me the opportunity to test the products free,  for this review! 

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