BRING ON THE WHITES FOR MEMORIAL DAY !

                 

Memorial Day is almost here, and it's time to bring out all the whites! Or if you are like me, then you wear your Whites throughout the year. I decided to go Pink, White, and Blue for my Memorial Day outfit! Love a good crisp white top when the weather gets warmer. My top is from Target, and if you don't find it in a Target close to you, then I have linked similar items, below this top. Puff sleeves are one trend from the 80s-90s, which I really enjoy wearing now. So it was fun to style this puff sleeve ruffle top from Target, with my favorite dark wash skinny jeans. In hindsight, I could also style this outfit with denim shorts. Here in Kansas City, we are waiting for Summer like crazy. It has been raining, and wet for the past few weeks. Espradille platforms are another favorite SUmmer accessory of mine. I have the same one in black and nude and they are so versatile. The piece-de-resistance of my outfit is definitely my pink saddlebag, which I have used as a purse. While mine was a gift, I have linked similar ones below. Hope all of you have a wonderful long weekend! 

SHOP THE POST 

0

WEDDING GUEST OOTD : EXPRESS STYLE FILES

                           
                                                       

     

                                                                   

       

      

 

     

                   

Its been raining non-stop in KC, but I am waiting for sunshine and warmer weather. I am waiting for special occasions to finally start happening again. The last year has been rough, with the special occasions we attended was via Zoom. yes, we made it a point to get dressed for that, coz why not. But now that we adults are vaccinated, we have been taking baby steps towards in-person events. That inspired me to try out a few special occasion dresses, or as I call it, wedding guest dresses. Well, we do have a few weddings to attend this Summer, so it all made sense to try out a few new dresses from Express. I have emphasized the fact that I have grown beyond body-con dresses. I love options that can dress up various kinds of bodies. I am petite and have what I call a mom-bod. Of the dresses I tried out, three definitely stood out, which I have linked below if you wanted to check out. 

When it came to a final choice, I opted for the Crinkled Off-The-Shoulder Midi Dress in Gold. Loved how comfortable it was. The chiffon with its boho was just perfect for a warm-weather party. I am wearing it in the Regular size, though in hindsight I could have also ordered the Petite. The dress is fully lined and isn't see-through at all. While I wear a size Small, in Tops from Express, I sized up to a Medium, for the dresses which I had tried. Every outfit is cut differently and it is important to find the right size in each style. I styled my dress with leopard pumps, a rattan purse, statement earrings,  sunglasses, and my red lip!  Played with the earthy tones of the dress, when I chose my shoes and purse for this outfit, off-setting them with the cool-toned earrings and red lips. Hoping you liked my options for warm-weather special occasions or wedding guest outfits! 

Post Edited: September 23, 2021: Since this outfit had given me a spot on the Express website, felt it was apt to wear to Kansas City Fashion Week FW'21!

SHOP THE POST 

0

BENIHANA FROZEN MEALS: DINNER MADE EASY

 

I have a confession to make. As much as I love cooking, off late it seems to have taken a back-seat. Needed to simplify weeknight dinners, and that's when I came across Benihana Frozen Meals.  I had tried a host of different frozen meals from different brands and was skeptical about how this would go. Mind you, I love Asian food, Japanese food particularly. So I knew I had to test this brand's offerings out. If I loved it, then my office freezer could soon get stocked up. 

Benihana claims to bring home the hibachi-taste experiences with their meals, including Hibachi Chicken Rice, Hibachi Vegetable Fried Rice, Yakisoba Chicken, Yakisoba Steak, Rocky’s Chicken, and Spicy Chicken Rice. It was fairy easy to whip up dinner tonight, after activities. All that I had to do was get a box of Benihana Frozen Meal out of the freezer, and into the microwave. Every 10 oz meal is packed with jasmine rice/noodles, chicken/steak, onions, carrots and other veggies. They also do have vegetarian option, if you were interested. You can't miss the Asian taste, as the microwave goes on. Its not spicy but does have flavor in it. You could add a dash of hot sauce to it, if you wanted something spicier. Or you can even top it off with some scrambled eggs, if you wanted to make it heartier. Overall not a bad option, if you like the genre of frozen/microwaveable meals. I will surely be stocking my office freezer with a few boxes of this Japanese steakhouse specialty. I picked up my frozen meals from my local Target! 

Disclaimer: I was provided these meals complimentary by Kraft, Influenster, Influenster Eats, for testing purposes. The opnions expressed are those of my own.  

0

6TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF POSH KC

                     
The past year has been crazy, to say the least. So to be taking baby steps, and doing things which remind you of the good old times, is a great idea. When I got the invite to celebrate 6 years of Posh KC, I  knew I had to be there. For those of you who don't know, Posh KC is a local blow dry bar in downtown Kansas City. We had been pampered by Posh KC last year, in a mommy-daughter date. So it made perfect sense to celebrate Posh KC with my mini-me. The only bit I was confused about was what to wear. It was cold and grey and I had a full workday before that. To make matters worse, I had dropped a bottle of foundation, over the dress I had planned to wear. Settled for my old favorite - dark wash skinny jeans, a dressier neutral top, leopard pumps, and statement earrings. I have linked what all of us are wearing, at the end of this blog post. My top is sold out, but I have linked similar items. 

The anniversary celebrations were held at Mean Mule Distilling Co. at the Crossroads Art District, in KC. We hadn't visited this popular distillery and tasting room, so we were very excited. Mean Mule Distilling Co. is known for their American Agave Spirit, which isn't Tequila, I am told. I opted for a Palom, while hubby opted for a Margarita. The space itself is beautiful and loved the little corners, where the natural light created the beautiful play with shadows. Had to capture a few frames with the golden hour streaming in. 

If there's Posh KC, you know there will be a braid bar. And who doesn't love a pampering session? I opted for a Dutch braid, as I cannot do fancy braids. My Mini-Me opted for Bubble Braids at Mommy's insistence. How pretty did both turn out? It is very rare that you will see me with my hair tied, at an event. The compliments I received after my braid was done, have me thinking of braids for the next event as well. Love meeting the Posh KC team again. If you haven't yet been to Posh KC, might I suggest booking yourself a Signature Blow-Out! You will love the quality of service and the super-friendly staff. 

Speaking of treats, did I mention the cookies of Midwest Cookie Co, specially created for the celebrations. Posh KC really knows how to ensure that they throw a family-friendly event- the parents had free-flowing agave spirits and the kiddos had artisan cookies! Win-Win! 

When I slowed down my blogging and social media posting when my husband was fighting cancer, I missed out on a lot of events and meet-ups. Then 2020 came with covid, and there were hardly any events. So when I finally got a chance to meet up with some of my favorite creatives from KC, it was indeed a double bonus. Thank you team KES studio for the invite. It was so good to meet you again Kat and Leah, it's been long. Finally met up with a fellow blogger- Brianna, whom I had only met across Instagram. She is so sweet and we chatted about all things fashion, blogging and travel. 

It's always wonderful when you get to let your hair down and party. Parties definitely look different now but am glad that we are at least trying to take baby steps.  Thank you Posh KC and KES Studio for ensuring we had such a fun evening. 

SHOP THE POST : 

0

VINE COOLERS FROM KC WINE CO

 

Mother's Day is less than a week away, and this mama needs wine! Not just any wine, but Vine Coolers from KC Wine Co. Throw in a backyard picnic with it and this mama is happy. Vine Coolers are individual wine slushies that are perfect for any occasion, and clearly a warm-weather favorite. 

Vine Coolers are locally made wine slushes, which are available in a variety of flavors, including Sangria, Peach Bellini, Lemoncello, and Winearita. Made from all-natural ingredients, the Vine Coolers have no artificial flavors or colors. In our backyard picnic, we decided to try the flavors, in the hope of picking a favorite. White Sangria is a crowd favorite for sure, with its Mediterranean twist, the hint of Prosecco in Peach Bellini also vies for the top spot. Loved the packaging of the Vine Coolers with their easy tear tab. You can freeze the small sleek tube, and serve. In my terms, this is the best adult popsicle I have seen. 

KC Wine Co. is currently offering contactless curbside pickup if you are interested. Vine Coolers are also sold across grocery stores in Kansas and Missouri! Last but not the least, to help you cheer for the Royals this SUmmer, Vine Coolers shall also be available at the K! 

I try my best to support local small businesses as much as I can. Being a resident of Olathe, it made perfect sense to support my neighborhood winery - KC Wine Co. A family-owned winery and vineyard, which handcrafts 12 varieties of wine, 5 varieties of hard cider, and wine slushes, and Vine Coolers. KC Wine Co. is well known for its tasting room, and also its seasonal events, like the KC Pumpkin patch, in Fall. 

Cheers to an amazing Summer, with some great spirits! Backyard picnic with Vine Coolers, from KC Wine Co. might be a regular feature in our Summer Calendar! 

0