New Year – New Resolutions

New Year – New Resolutions

Happy New Year, Friends!!! With every trip around the sun comes a new set of goals, at least for most. Some folks don’t believe in setting New Year’s resolutions anymore. I, however, appreciate this old tradition and love the concept of listing my hopes, dreams, intentions, and objectives the first week of every January. Once my resolutions are written down, I aim to achieve these goals within or throughout the following twelve months. Sometimes I succeed, and as you guessed it, oftentimes I fail. Regardless – I still enjoy the practice and truly believe that setting your intentions not only at the start of the year, but at the start of each season, each month, and each day is a wonderful tool that aids in self motivation, emotional health, mental health, and physical health.

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Lemon & Herb Chicken Noodle Soup

Lemon & Herb Chicken Noodle Soup

Whenever I buy a rotisserie chicken, I make a large pot of stock once the bird’s been fully eaten. A few months ago, before we were able to devour the entire hen, I decided to use the remaining breast meat and some fresh thyme growing in my garden to put together an elevated chicken noodle soup perfect for any season. Keep reading to discover my easy to follow recipe.

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HAWTHORN WOODS: A Brief Book Review + Q&A With The Author

HAWTHORN WOODS: A Brief Book Review + Q&A With The Author

Since it’s Halloween season, I figured there was no better time to post my Q&A with the author of Hawthorn Woods – an exciting thriller full of spooky mysteries and whodunits. The story follows a young divorcée named Francine Haddix who decides to escape the stress of her separation by house-sitting for her sister in the idyllic, Chicago suburb of Hawthorn Woods. Despite her short stay, Francine is quickly swept up into a tight-knit community teeming with surprising secrets and a few not-so-nice neighbors.

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COCOKIND: Skincare Review – Part 1

COCOKIND: Skincare Review – Part 1

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Last Updated: Autumn 2022

If you’re a fan of my clean beauty posts, you may recall me recommending Cocokind products more than a few times in the past year [*Hint Hint: My Moisturizer Recs — Go-To Mineral Sunblocks — Summer Beauty Must-Haves] Lucky for me, I finally got around to trying Cocokind’s cleanser, toner, and face oil and naturally wanted to share my thoughts about these daily, skincare staples with you all. Continue reading for my honest review.

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Interested In Going Vegan? Check Out My Q&A With The Colorful Coach!

Interested In Going Vegan? Check Out My Q&A With The Colorful Coach!

Photo Courtesy of Fifi Fresh

Sachi and I first met in 2004 during our freshman year of college. We became fast friends over our shared love of film, television, writing, travel, and humor. After graduation, I pursued a career in the entertainment industry, and Sachi fell into the world of physical fitness. Before I knew it, she had a plethora of loyal clients, a growing business, and a kick-ass body. In recent years, Sachi’s interest in nutrition and the benefits of plant-based eating eventually led her to becoming The Colorful Coach!

Despite my passion for meat, seafood, and dairy – I wanted to ask Sachi some questions about her vegan diet and consulting business since I too am a huge advocate for incorporating plenty of fresh produce, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains into our daily meals. So whether you enjoy animal-based foods like myself or avoid them like Sachi, this Q&A is full of insightful information that focuses on the importance of nutrition and the joy of eating plant-based foods.

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When Life Gives You Leeks – Make Soup!

I love a good potato leek soup but had personally never made one until last summer. It was a chilly, June afternoon along the Marin coast, and I was in the mood for something warm and cozy. I stumbled upon some gorgeous leeks at the neighborhood farmstand earlier that day, and my boyfriend’s parents had a ton of homegrown potatoes that were begging to be dug up and eaten. With those two ingredients on hand, it was clear that a classic was on the menu for dinner. At the end of the day, my impromptu recipe worked out well and my humble soup was an absolute winner! The best thing about that meal, other than the taste, were the locally grown ingredients and how quickly it came together.

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Mineral Powder Sunscreens Perfect for Wearing Over Makeup!

Mineral Powder Sunscreens Perfect for Wearing Over Makeup!

News Alert!! Sunblock is only effective if you reapply it throughout the day as indicated on the directions of practically every SPF product. Unfortunately, we often forget to do this simple task. For those readers who don’t wear makeup OR those amazing makeup-free days, the reapplication of our favorite sunscreen is a simple task that just takes remembering. However, for the days that we have a full face of makeup on, reapplying a traditional lotion based sunscreen is just not an option. CUE: powdered, translucent sunscreens! Continue reading to learn more about two of my favorite SPF products ideal for year-round use.

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Super Simple, Italian Inspired Appetizer Skewers

Super Simple, Italian Inspired Appetizer Skewers

Preparing tasty appetizers can sometimes be an arduous task. However, these three skewers are as simple to make as they are to eat. My favorite thing about these appetizers is that there’s no actual cooking involved which makes them an excellent option for summer days when it’s just too hot to turn on the stove or oven. The flavors are also light, bright, and refreshing. Keep reading for my easy to follow recipe.

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Summer Beauty Must-Haves

Summer Beauty Must-Haves

It doesn’t take much for me to enjoy the summer as long as I have an endless supply of chilled rosé, a nice pair of sunglasses, a great book or two, grilled seasonal eats, plenty of ice cold beer, good company, and a refreshing place to swim! Okay, maybe that list was a little long, but of all the things I could have asked for…[spending June on a yacht off the coast of Croatia, July in the South of France, August in Santorini, perfectly tailored swimsuits, a standing reservation on the water front patio of a quaint, award winning restaurant, gorgeous people fanning me with palm fronds]…my summer essentials seem incredibly reasonable 😉 So whether you are enjoying a typical summer like myself or are lucky enough to be experiencing my fantasy summer abroad – all that time spent galavanting in the water under the warm sun while drinking & eating more than one probably should, is bound to take a toll on our skin. Lucky for me, I’ve found the best beauty products perfect for battling the effects of the summer sun and months of summer fun!

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Sliced, Diced, & Sharpened – An Ode to Kitchen Knives

Sliced, Diced, & Sharpened – An Ode to Kitchen Knives

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A great meal is always prepared with wonderful ingredients, a bit of skill, a lot of love, and typically an assist from a trusty knife. In this post, I will be diving into my personal experience with kitchen knives and sharing some fun facts and stories about all of the blades in my life. Enjoy!

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The Best Mineral Sunscreens – 2021 Edition

The Best Mineral Sunscreens – 2021 Edition

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Every season is sunblock season in my opinion, but since summer is almost upon us, I figured this was a great time to write about some of my favorite mineral based sunscreens. I wear an SPF daily, and highly recommend it regardless of your pigment. It is my sincere belief that the best thing we as individuals can do for our skin is to protect it from the harmful UVA and UVB rays that the sun emits. Keep on reading for my current list of go-to natural moisturizers perfect for everyday sun protection.

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Santa Barbara – A California Staycation & Global Destination

Santa Barbara – A California Staycation & Global Destination

Last Updated: Spring 2026

Back in April 2021, I was in desperate need to lounge by a pool and simply vege out for a few days. Usually when I’m in the mood to splash around the pool for hours on end, I head to Palm Springs. However, with incredibly hot weather forecasted for the last few days that April, I settled on a 2-day trip to Santa Barbara instead since it would be fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than the desert. So with my mind made up, I got to planning.

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Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes

Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes

When it comes to breakfast, I am an egg girl all the way. However, on rare occasions, I do have a hankering to start my mornings off with something sugary, and nothing does the trick like a few fluffy pancakes. They always satisfy my sweet tooth, but the figurative icing on the cake is how incredibly easy they are to make. A lot of pancake recipes call for oil, melted butter, and sugar which I personally find unnecessary. My go-to batter has only 6 ingredients, takes just minutes to prepare, tastes delicious, and always yields perfectly, pillowy flapjacks.

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Gua Sha & Jade Rolling

Gua Sha & Jade Rolling

Although Gua Sha and jade rolling have been around for centuries, their popularity has sky rocketed in the last five years especially among clean beauty and wellness fanatics. Facial massage via modern Gua Sha stones and jade rollers is an excellent way to promote blood flow and lymphatic drainage. Better circulation and regular detoxification within the face and neck achieved through consistent stone massage can often result in smoother, lifted, and brighter skin over time. Some folks think these ancient practices are a complete myth while others swear by it. I, personally, fall somewhere in the middle of this debate.

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Quick & Easy Kebabs

Quick & Easy Kebabs

If you’re a fan of my blog, you already know that Middle Eastern food was a huge part of my childhood because my mom attended university in Lebanon before moving to the states. And since I grew up in LA, my parents also had access to the best Middle Eastern restaurants, markets, and butcher shops on days they wanted kebabs but didn’t feel like cooking from scratch. I love all types of meat on a stick, but minced meat kebabs [aka: lula, lule, or luleh] are my absolute favorite! I hope you enjoy my quick and simple recipe as much as my family does.

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BIOSSANCE: Skincare Review

BIOSSANCE: Skincare Review

I discovered Biossance last September when searching for mineral sunblocks that appeared sheer on dark skin. After visiting the company website, I quickly learned that their products were EWG Verified, categorized as Clean at Sephora, and highly praised by users. Since I also happened to be in need of a new face wash, toner, and night cream at the time, I quickly fell down a rabbit hole of customer reviews. After a few days of heavy research and a Labor Day sale that couldn’t be beat, I pulled the trigger and ordered more than a few skincare products from Biossance’s award-winning line. Keep reading for my honest review.

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Japanese-Style, Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Japanese-Style, Quick Pickled Cucumbers

I started making spicy tuna rice bowls at home a few months ago. The very first time I made these bowls for dinner, I found some wrinkling cucumbers in my fridge and decided to give them a quick Japanese-inspired pickle to put alongside the spicy tuna. I hadn’t pickled anything in ages but grabbed a few ingredients, threw them into a bowl, and had a tasty topper for my rice bowls in less than thirty minutes. Since that evening last September, I’ve been whipping up these quick pickles about once a month. The recipe couldn’t be simpler. Enjoy!

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RADICAL ACCEPTANCE: A Brief Book Review

RADICAL ACCEPTANCE: A Brief Book Review

I purchased this book at the start of 2019 along with Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping. I was clearly in a self-help mood, getting back in touch with my own spirituality, and looking for some clarity regarding life. I finally got around to starting it in the summer of 2020 and finished it before the year ended. Keep reading for my honest review.

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No Fuss Mediterranean Salad

No Fuss Mediterranean Salad

I make this dish at least twice a month, sometimes more. The salad pairs wonderfully with a variety of meals but also tastes great by itself. It’s a favorite of my boyfriend and goes well with my hummus recipe. Overall, I would categorize my mediterranean salad as a happy hybrid of a Greek Salad and a Shirazi Salad. This recipe takes no time at all and just requires a bit of chopping. Enjoy!

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Handwritten Wedding Signs

Handwritten Wedding Signs

It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my life to have sprinkled small flecks of my own crafting passion into the weddings of so many loved ones & even a handful of strangers over the past decade. If you read my first Wedding Post, you’ll remember that I segued into event planning after years of creating handwritten invitations, signage, escort cards, and more for family and friends. Handmade elements add so much warmth & charm to a ceremony and reception. Even when I’m completely uninvolved in the design process, my favorite weddings always include these special, one-of-a-kind pieces that you won’t see anywhere else.

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