I love how basic yet sophisticated a nude dress + heels looks. I wore this dress to our wedding dinner on May 27, 2011. It was the perfect night with the perfect dress. I love the stitching on the sides to accentuate my curves. It could be considered simple but with the structured sleeves and slight glow of the fabric, I always feel like it makes a statement.
My bow bracelet is one of my most treasured pieces of jewelry. B gave it to me as a wedding gift because it symbolizes us “tying the knot”. How clever is that?
3 years ago today i married the love of my life in san diego. i vividly remember looking at B and being so excited to be together for eternity.
nothing has changed.
that song by train says it all by saying “marry me today and everyday”.
that is exactly how i feel. everyday i thank my heavenly father that he brought this amazing man into my life. this man that is so funny, i cry in laughter on a daily basis. this man that supports everything i do and loves me all the same. this man that loves the gospel with his whole being. this man that grabs my face when he kisses me. this man that always comes to cuddle when the darkness turns to day. this is the man i have always dreamed of.
no marriage is perfect. everyone should know that. B and i don’t always see eye to eye but our common ground of loving each other makes any difference of opinion fall by the way side. love is what matters.
so here’s to loving you for all eternity. there is nothing i would rather do.
As mentioned in my previous post, this weekend we headed south to meet my in laws and experience Disneyland. I have not been to Disneyland in about 6 years(…and now remember why). First tip, do not go to Disneyland over Memorial Day weekend. A Disneyland employee told us that besides New Years, Memorial Day Weekend is the busiest time to visit. The crowds were insane! We rode on about 12 rides the 14 hours we were at the park. Nevertheless, It was an adventure and many memories were made!
I enjoy the various rides at Disneyland (space mountain is definitely my favorite) but what excites me is the sweet treats. So without further or do, let’s get to the best eats at the Happiest Place on Earth!
1. Dole Whip – available at the Tiki Juice Bar in Adventure Land
This treat is a classic and probably the most recognizable. I prefer to get the dole whip float so the pineapple soft serve is submerged in fresh pineapple juice. It is quite refreshing –I kept on wishing I was devouring this treat at a beach. A girl can dream right?
2. PB&J Soda – available at Carnation Cafe on Main St.
I, unfortunately, did not have a spare moment to try this drink but I hear it is a must– When else will you drink a PB& J? It is described as “A tall, fizzy concoction that looks like a grape soda but has a delicious backbeat of peanut butter.” If you do try, please let me know what you think!
3. Matterhorn Macaroon – available at Jolly Holiday Bakery on Main St.
This treat is instagram worthy (especially when standing in view of the actual Matterhorn). I already love coconut macaroons so to have the added white chocolate icing on top, truly hits the spot. Wish this was available outside of the park!
4. Churro – available all over the park as well as Downtown Disney
This is B’s favorite treat and Disney sure knows how to make it perfectly warm and sugared! Although churro stands are located through out the park, I hear the best place to get one is California Churros located in Downtown Disney where there are multiple flavors to choose from!
5. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter sandwich - available at Pooh’s corner in Critter Country
My absolute favorite combination is chocolate and peanut butter! Nothing compares to milk chocolate and smooth salty peanut butter (salted caramel is second). I actually made this treat at home a couple years ago before even buying one at Disneyland and let me tell you, you can’t even taste the difference! I am glad I finally have a way to bring Disneyland home with me.
sorry for the blurriness…this photo was taken as we were racing to the Matterhorn!
6. Beignets – available at Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square
I have been to New Orleans a couple times before and although these beignets are not up to the Cafe du Monde standard, they are still very good and are in the shape of mickey mouse. I suggest ordering a hot chocolate and dunking your beignets for a whole new twist.
7. Blue Bayou – located inside the Pirate of the Caribbean ride
This was my first time eating at the Blue Bayou and can guarantee it won’t be my last! I loved the low lighting and Southern architecture. The most famous dish at the Blue Bayou is called the Monte Cristo. It is a deep fried ham + cheese sandwich sprinkled with powder sugar accompanied with vanilla and berry sauces. Everyone at our table ordered the Monte Cristo and could not stop raving about it. However, I am not a ham person so I opted to try the chicken entree which was very good as well. I do recommend getting reservations for this restaurant at least a month in advance because it can book up fast (especially in the summer months).
8. Plaza Inn – located on Main Street This cafeteria style restaurant is a great pit stop for any meal while at Disneyland. We ate dinner here and had fabulous fried chicken! The Plaza Inn also serves salad, soup and pasta. The velvet decor inside makes you feel like you are in the South about to sit down for tea. I also love the striped pink umbrellas that paint the patio.
9. Lobster Roll – available at Harbor Gallery in Critter Country
Again, I didn’t have a chance to try so I am relying on my research when suggesting this entree, but from the sound of it I wish I had one more day in Disneyland to taste it.
10. Hungry Bear Restaurant - located in Critter Country
This restaurant has great BBQ + pie. It also tends to be less crowded, which is always a plus in my book. Although no regular fries are served, the sweet potato fries are a great substitute and better for you! Don’t forget to try the lemon cupcake that tastes like lemon meringue!
This guide is purely Disneyland so there are a few things below I hope to try the next time I am at California Adventure:
1. Churro Bites (Cozy Cone Motel)
2. Ramone’s Pear of Dice Soda (Cozy Cone Motel) 3. Rose Petal Soda (Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge) 4. Quake Shake (Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory) 5. Burger (Taste Pilot’s Grill)
What are you favorite things to eat at Disneyland?
Today, B and I are heading to Southern California for some family time, fun in the sun and Disneyland. I have never been a huge lover of Disneyland (despite being an annual pass holder for a couple years in high school) ,but because I love my brother-in-law (who just returned home from serving a LDS mission in Germany) requested it we couldn’t refuse. It will be a fun getaway and a chance to hang out with the Hawker family.
Check back next week for an exclusive eating guide to the Happiest Place on Earth (because eating is my happiest place)!
Over Easter weekend, B and I had the opportunity to meet my family in Arizona for a mini family vaca. One of my older sisters lives in Phoenix and the other lives in San Antonio while my parents and little sister still reside in Southern California so we thought it would be the perfect meeting destination. I don’t remember the last time I spent Easter with my family and had never really explored Phoenix so I was ready for a great weekend!
We decided to rent a house via Airbnb so that we had the option to cook Easter dinner (and with a nephew almost 3 and a niece almost 1 it just seemed so much easier to have everyone under one roof). It was all of our first time using Airbnb and I can guarantee it won’t be our last. The house was gorgeous, spacious and in a quiet neighborhood (we chose to stay in Gilbert, which is a smaller town located within the Phoenix metropolitan area). Renting a house was also more affordable than 5 rooms at a hotel, not to mention we had a pool + water slide to ourselves! My dad, who currently lives 10 min from the beach, even claimed if he lived in a house like this he could move to Arizona! Never thought I would ever hear my Dad speak of the option to live somewhere besides California!!
The weekend was relaxing and carefree. There was lots of hours spent in the pool and playing games. I didn’t explore as much as I would have liked to (who knew young kids could limit you so?) but it was great to be around family. One restaurant that I did make the group try was Liberty Market.
Liberty Market is one of the cutest little restaurants located in downtown Gilbert. It has a farm to table ever changing menu and the perfect ambiance. You wait in line to order and while you are a waiting an employee asks you the number in your party and scouts out a table for you. Perfect right? So once you are finished ordering you don’t have to worry about getting a table — Liberty Market has you covered. There was such a great selection as well– salads, steak, seafood, sandwiches, you name it. I opted for the seared ahi salad with a side of beats and was not disappointed. The only complaint I heard was the mashed sweet potatoes were less than stellar but not terrible (we are somewhat of food snobs). Everything was so fresh and affordable! And don’t forget dessert. We tried their cookies, whoopie pie and a special weekly dessert containing chocolate and hazelnut (wish I could remember the name). It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.
Since Liberty Market was such a hit, we decided to try their sister restaurant – Joe’s Farm Grill. Joe’s Farm Grill is also located in Gilbert but in more of the suburbs (in fact we walked there from our house). We went on a Saturday afternoon and it was crazy! The line was in the parking lot practically. My sisters and I just kept telling ourselves that the wait will be worth it! We ordered a couple salads, sandwiches, burger, and milkshakes. All the food was pretty good and it was a fun restaurant, but I am not sure if we would go again. Nothing too memorable. I would definitely say Liberty Market is the fairer of the sisters!
I hope to return to Phoenix someday soon and see the city more! What are your favorite spots in Phoenix?
There is a lush orange tree right outside our balcony that always puts me in a better mood and makes me crave anything citrus. One of my favorite citrus treats (besides lemon bars) is an ice cold Orange Julius and the mere sip of an Orange Julius brings me back to my childhood.
My mother made breakfast for me almost every day before school –it was how she showed her love. I hope to do the same when I am a mother someday, but will cherish the memories for now. One regular thing she made that I just couldn’t get enough of was Orange Julius. I usually drank it with some eggs and toast to get a balanced meal but I know the Julius was the only thing I was wanting seconds of! The funny thing is, I learned this recipe from my “Teenage Living” class (aka Home Ec) in seventh grade. I brought the recipe home to my mom and she adopted it as her own. Who knew that class would still have an impact on me!
Recipe for Orange Julius:
1 6 oz. can frozen orange juice
1 cup milk
1 cup water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8-10 icecubes 1 fresh orange just picked from a tree for garnish
To keep with the Vegas theme this week, I wanted to share a secret I learned while booking hotels in Vegas. Once a travel location has been selected, I scour Expedia, Hotwire, Hotel Websites, Hotels.com, etc. for the best hotels with the best price. For Vegas, I also decided to check out Bookit.com. It is a lesser known site but occasionally offers some great deals ( this is the site we used to book our Honeymoon — but I do feel like they specialize more in island type destinations). As I was going through the endless pages of listings, most hotel prices seemed to match Expedia and Hotels.com but then something interesting came up!
A listing read, “5-Star Mystery All-Suite Hotel + Spa“. Oh the secrecy! What could this be? Not to mention the price was far lower than the other 5 star hotels I looked at. I did a quick search and found out most of the time this listing was for either the Trump Hotel or Wynn + Encore. However, this specific listing mentioned the hotel was located a couple blocks off of the strip so I just knew it had to be the Trump (or at least I needed it to be the Trump ha). But what if it wasn’t? What if it was miles off of the strip in nomad Nevada? But, Vegas is all about taking risks so why not? “It will be a great story no matter the outcome, ” I told myself and my sleeping husband ( I tend to analyze decisions far too long). I received an email from Bookit.com shortly after booking, stating the mystery hotel is indeed the TRUMP HOTEL. I was very excited but didn’t realize how much I lucked out till we checked in.
The Trump is so swanky and luxurious from the moment you step out of your car and the valet is complimentary. We checked in late Friday night and were upgraded to the 55th floor pent house suite (literally bigger than our apartment). I could have spent weeks there. Vegas was pretty crowded the week we went because of the weather and I guess there was a fight on Saturday, which makes me feel like we scored even more. Hotels were through the roof and we stayed in a Penthouse suite for $130/night (not including resort fees). So go on live a little and take a risk with the mystery hotel!
One of my favorite places to research when planning a getaway is New York Times’ 36 Hours. I swear they have done almost every city and some even multiple times! NYT 36 Hours is the perfect blend of touristy and local hotspots. One of my dream jobs would be to travel the world and write about the best restaurants, entertainment and hotels. How enjoyable would that be??
On my recent journey to Las Vegas, I decided I would plan as though it were a 36 hour NYT excursion. So here it is folks, Vivre Blog’s 36 Hour Guide to LAS VEGAS!
7:30pm 1) Burger Bar (Mandalay Bay): I am always starving after flying (no matter how short/long it is). Burger Bar is the perfect place to recharge your body before the sleepless Vegas night. Their gourmet burgers are amazing (even my husband couldn’t stop raving and he is a self-proclaimed burger connoisseur)! You literally can’t go wrong with any type of burger you choose. I ended up choosing the kobe beef hamburger and my mouth couldn’t stop watering. I am not even a lover of hamburgers (I do love in-n-out but don’t really order from anywhere else). One thing I am a lover of is shakes and Burger Bar’s Black and White shake is one of my all time favorites (vanilla ice cream based shake with cookie dough and chocolate syrup and topped with bittersweet chocolate infused whipped cream)!!
9pm 2) Britney Spears (Planet Hollywood) – Now this recommendation may be a little controversial but I decided to take the plunge and see my girl Britney in concert (haven’t seen her since the Oops I Did It Again tour). I may be a little bias but, let me tell you she worked it for a hour and a half. There were costume changes, back up dancers, Britney flying through the air, crazy sets with fire and water, etc. It was incredible!! I was dancing and singing the whole time along with all the other attendees (husband was even enjoying himself). It was the fastest 90 minutes of my life. Tickets are a little on the pricey side because it is still the beginning of her contract and she is Britney Spears (duh)! Wish I had moves like Britney…
11pm 3) Serendipity (Cesar’s Palace) – Although it is always incredibly crowded, Serendipity is worth the wait. I opt for the peanut butter chocolate or classic frozen hot chocolate but, none of the desserts disappoint. It is the sweetest ending to a night on the strip (see what I did there ha). I would steer clear of the savory food though–very below average if you ask me.
Day 2:
10am 4) Bouchon Bistro (Venetian) – Brunch at Bouchon is incredible. I highly recommend the sourdough waffles, bread pudding style French toast and all pastries. The charming French bistro atmosphere makes you feel right at home. Don’t forget to stop by the bakery and order salted peanut butter cups for the road! I think I may or may not be addicted to sugar…
11:30am 5) Mob Museum(downtown) – Who knew Vegas had so much history? This interactive museum is three stories and includes a tour through the actual court room where Las Vegas officials conducted 14 nation wide hearings regarding organized crimes. It was interesting to know more about the Mob’s biggest players – including Al Capone, Whitey Bulger, and many more! Please note: Tickets can be bought as a package deal with the neon museum for $30/person. I suggest allotting about 2 hours for this museum because it is large and has so much information.
2pm 6) Honey Salt(outside the strip) – If I lived in Vegas this would be my go to lunch spot. The farm to table menu + the vintage chic decor + great service + lustful desserts is everything I ever want in a lunch spot.
Don’t forget to leave room for the brookie with salted caramel ice cream!
4pm 7) Neon Museum(downtown) – The self proclaimed “boneyard” takes you back in time and gives you better insight as to how Las Vegas became the entertainment capital of the country. Museum offers a guided hour long tour for $18/person (or $30/person when purchasing the mob museum as well). We decided to tour during the day because it worked better with our schedule but I hear the night tours are great because some of the signs actually light up!
Miley’s inspiration?
7:30pm 8) Mix (Mandalay Bay) – To get to the restaurant you must enter a separate all glass elevator that shoots you up to the 64th floor (my stomach dropped a little). The view + decor + food + service was spectacular. I ordered the lamb while my husband ordered the sea bass. Both entrees were exquisite. The dessert menu looked divine but I was already quite full. This restaurant also turns into a lounge/club after hours.
On Day 3, we decided to order room service, shop at fashion place mall and lounge by the pool. We decided to stay at the Trump this time around and it was perfect. I also enjoy staying at the Wynn + Encore for their high quality restaurants, pools rooms & night clubs!
This week, I have Vegas on the brain. Maybe because I already feel like I am in need of another vacation with amazing restaurants or maybe because the weather is just perfect there right now (love that dry heat). Or maybe its because I love how you can stay in a 5 star hotel for the price of a 3 star hotel! Oh Vegas, I do adore you.
Part of my job is to create and coordinate corporate events. A little while ago, I had the opportunity to create a Vegas getaway in honor of March Madness. There wasn’t a ton to coordinate since Vegas already offers the basics of a March Madness trip — sun, gambling + sports bars. But, I did have fun creating a welcome bag and hand delivering them to each guest prior to their departure.
The welcome bag included:
Travel size sunscreen – so everyone was properly protected while lounging
Advil – For the never ending hangovers that always seem to happen in Vegas
Gum – I believe a necessity while traveling anywhere
Visa Gift Card – for cab fare to/from hotels
Iced Coffee Mix – You always need a caffeine kick for a Vegas getaway
Aluminum Water Bottle – For keeping your beverage of choice at the perfect temperature
What are your Vegas necessities?
Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for a full 36 hour guide to Las Vegas!
I currently work in downtown Palo Alto (you know where Zukerburg reins) and there is quite the variety of restaurants to try. I usually go out once a week to explore something new but, one restaurant I keep on going back to is Lyfe Kitchen.
Lyfe Kitchen is a healthy “fast-food” option. All the entrees are under 600 calories! Not only that, but the diversity is unmatched. Some of my favorites include Art’s Unfried Chicken, Fish Tacos and the Quinoa Crunch Wrap. “Lyfe Waters” are the perfect pairing to any entrée – the orange ginger chia is so refreshing!
Lyfe Kitchen has several locations throughout California as well as Nevada, Illinois, Colorado and Texas.
What is your go-to lunch spot and why do you like it?
