Living La Vida Holoka


Laurita Winery OktoberFest 2019

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An afternoon of food, fun, and lots of locally made sangria at the Laurita Winery OktoberFest with food trucks, fire pits, live music, and more!


Last weekend, I spent another fantastic day at Laurita Winery for their OktoberFest with Food Trucks & Fire Pits festival!  There were family and friends there to celebrate my sisters’ birthdays in the best way – with wine and food.  Lots and lots of food!   Our group was large, but I tried to make the usual food truck stops, as well as trying new ones, and visiting vendors.

Wine Tasting

 
Just like last time, we started with the wine tasting.  For $7, you get to try six wines off of the tasting sheet.  I decided to go with mostly dry reds and a couple favorite sweet reds this time.

  • Norton – dark, dry red with berry flavors
  • Bistro – a favorite dry red wine that’s fruit forward
  • Merlot – smooth with notes of plum, berries, and oak accents with a spicy finish
  • Cabernet Sauvignon – a spicy, slightly smoky, oak accented red with flavors of currants, cherry, and plum, and vanilla
  • Tailgate Red – very cherry forward semi-sweet red
  • Sangria – the best damn sangria you’ll ever have in your life made with a seven fruit blend! 

Five Sisters Catering Co.

 
After the wine tasting, my first stop was saying hello to my friends at Five Sisters Catering Co.  They have become a must-stop food truck during festivals for us.  Last time, we had an epic mac’n’cheese cone and, before that, my sister and I split the brie sliders.  This time around, I asked them what they recommended and got the Whiskey Tango sliders.  


One bite told me that these sliders would be the best thing that I ate all day.  That’s a pretty bold statement considering we got there at 11 when the festival opened.  But that statement held true! 

The Whiskey Tango sliders are made with two juicy, whiskey glazed burgers topped with bacon, cheddar, onion petals, and a bourbon BBQ sauce.  Holy amazing!  These sliders were so good that I plan on recreating a burger with similar flavors for dinner this week!  I’m already scoping out the menu for my next visit (I’m looking at those Moonshine sliders)! 

Elemen7ts by Nitro Girl

 
We’ve tried some pretty crazy concoctions from Elemen7ts by Nitro Girl, like Nitro Maple Bacon Crack Stuffed Crust Pizza.  But as soon as they advertised that they would have hot Butterbeer, I was SO THERE!  I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and never had Butterbeer before. 

I’ve totally been missing out!  How do I describe Butterbeer besides “brilliant” (in my best British accent, of course)? Well, it’s creamy, sweet, and tastes like butterscotch.  It was a perfect hot drink for the cool, fall day we had.  I’m slightly disappointed that I didn’t go back for another cup! 

Jersey Roll

 
Jersey Roll is dedicated to serving up the finest Jersey delicacy – pork roll!  Last time I was here, I split a Pork Roll Chicken Cordon Bleu and it was delicious!  I apparently wasn’t playing around this food truck festival and didn’t split….well, much of anything.  That was a big mistake and I won’t be doing that again because I missed out on a lot!  By the time I was done with my sliders and Butterbeer, I was already getting full!


But my sister and her fiancé ordered a couple things off the Jersey Roll menu!  The Jersey Tropics sandwich sounded excellent with pineapple and BBQ sauce on top.  My sister got the tots topped with cheese and pork roll.  I mean, just get a load of those! 

The tots were cooked perfectly with crunch in every bite that held up underneath the drizzle of cheese sauce.  The chopped pork roll on top added a delicious boost of flavor and saltiness.  I should have went in for another bite! 

Shore Good Eats N’ Treats

 
My brother and I headed to Shore Good Eats N’ Treats after seeing their loaded butterfly fries and gourmet egg rolls.  We got an order of the C.B.R. butterfly fries minus the “R” (Ranch).  The fries were golden brown and crispy.  I’d like to congratulate the person who can eat an order of these by themselves.  There were two of us and we couldn’t finish them!


The fries were more than enough, but we had to sample those egg rolls! So we got Buffalo chicken, macaroni & cheese, and cheesesteak egg rolls.  By this time, I was ready to burst.  So I only had half of a Buffalo chicken egg roll and it was delicious!  Crispy on the outside with juicy, Buffalo flavored chicken on the inside.  It was just spicy enough!

Maddalena’s CheeseCake

 
After a bit more walking around, I was somehow ready for dessert (dont’t judge) and tried the Apple Crumb Pie a la mode from Maddalena’s CheeseCake.  It’s made with their own apple crumb pie served warmed over vanilla ice cream and topped with salted caramel.  A-mazing!  


Before leaving, my sister-in-law and I visited the Stillwell Farms stand.  We got metal spiders to hold scented candles (I got Praline Caramel Sticky Buns and it smells amazing), plus I bought my mother and myself beautiful bouquets of freshly cut fall flowers!

The full list of food trucks from Laurita Winery OktoberFest!
  • RED Pizza
  • Maddalena’s CheeseCake
  • Five Sisters
  • House of Cupcakes
  • Shore Good Eats n’ Treats
  • Jersey Roll
  • Cousins Maine Lobster
  • Tacoholics
  • Cold Stone Catering
  • Callahans
  • Empanada Guy
  • Elemen7ts By Nitro Girl
  • Mastoris Catering
  • Coffee Bouteaque
  • Waffles de Lys
  • Scuba and the Beast
  • Highway 2 Ohana
  • Pompier Catering
  • Star of the Sea Seafood
  • Joe Smoke Bar B Que
  • The Little Sicilian
  • Meat Wagon BBQ
  • Chimney Cake Factory
  • Cannoli World
  • JD’s House of Bacon

I had sangria in one hand and food in the other most of the day.  It was a great way to celebrate my sisters’ birthday and enjoy a cool, sunny fall day!  There were so many other food trucks I wish I could have visited, but there’s always next time! 

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Staying Warm and Cozy with Lipton Black Tea

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LiptonNewLook #CollectiveBias

Winter will be over in a few weeks, but there are still plenty of reasons to snuggle up together! Stay warm and cozy the rest of the season with Lipton Black Tea found at Walmart!

Winter will be coming to an end soon, but there are still signs of the season around here. March is always a tricky month in New Jersey. Some days it feels like spring and others remind us that winter isn’t over just yet. Even though I’m starting to look forward to spring, I will miss my second favorite season of the year. I know I’m in the minority when it comes to my love for winter, but there are so many reasons to love this cold season!

Hear me out on this!

First, winter begins right before the holiday season. It’s perfect timing! Especially if it brings a little snow with its arrival. Speaking of snow, SNOW! Is there anything more magical than the first snow? I’m actually a fan of every snow we get. It’s just so pretty and makes me feel like a kid again. Winter’s also the best season for snuggling! If you’re cold, grab a blanket and keep cozy and warm!

 
Hover over the picture to shop for Lipton 100% Natural Black Tea on Walmart.com!

 
One thing that I really love about the winter is starting cozy, new traditions together. My husband works outside all year ’round, so I know how much he appreciates coming home to a warm house during the cold, winter months.

Another thing I know he appreciates is the hot cup of Lipton 100% Natural Black Tea that I have ready for him when he gets home. I pour one mug for him and pour another mug for myself. Then, we settle into the living room under a pile of blankets while we sip our tea in our favorite mugs.

It’s become one of my favorite evening traditions to light a candle, grab our blankets, kick off our slippers, and enjoy a hot cup of tea at night together. It’s a peaceful way to wind down the evening and one of our favorite ways to keep warm and cozy! Nothing beats a hot cup of Lipton Black Tea with a little honey and lemon!

Did you notice Lipton’s new packaging? New look, same great taste! Lipton is still America’s favorite tea and 100% natural. And if you’re like us and love to stock up on our favorite teas, you can grab Lipton 100% Natural Tea Black Tea Bags at Walmart or Walmart.com in 50 count or 100 count!

Make sure you have the Ibotta app handy while you’re stocking up on Lipton Tea at Walmart. You can earn .75 cents on any one Lipton product while supplies last. Click here to get this offer!

Tea is great any time of the year, but it’s definitely helped us feel warmer and cozier this winter! Whether you’re shaking the chill off from the outdoors or just want to enjoy the pleasure of a hot cup of tea, make sure to grab a box (or two) of Lipton Black Tea and enjoy the rest of snuggle season!

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How do you make Lipton 100% Natural Black Tea part of your daily routine?
 
 
 
 

Why I’m Not Choosing a Word of the Year this Year

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This year, I’m forgetting New Year’s resolutions and not choosing a word of the year. Instead, I’m owning each day of 2019 and pushing forward.


Happy New Year!  There are 365 fresh, new days ahead of us!  Every year, I make my list of goals and resolutions.  I choose a word to guide me throughout the year.  But by the end of last year, I fell short on some of my goals and totally forgot what my word of the year even was (by the way, it was persevere – thank you, blog)! 

So this year, I’m playing it different.  I’m not choosing a word.  I’m not even setting any goals!  Yup!  You read that right!  Nothing!  Nada!  I’m going with the flow in 2019.  

Here’s the thing – I think we put way too much pressure on ourselves at the beginning of a new year.  What starts off as positive thinking can land us in a whole pile of sh…..negativity.  Let’s look back at previous years.  If you’ve achieved everything on your list of goals and resolutions, then congratulations.  You must be superhuman with willpower of steel.  For the rest of us, we slip and slide along the way.  We’re human.  It happens.  But I shouldn’t have to rely on a single word or a list of resolutions to keep me accountable for my actions during the course of the year.

It’s not all bad, it’s just not for me

 
Now, don’t get me wrong.  I’m not knocking New Year traditions.  If making goals and resolutions works for you, or if you want to focus on a word to set the theme of your year, go for it.  But it just isn’t working for me anymore.  When I sit down and reevaluate my year, I don’t want to feel disappointed or like a failure for not meeting certain goals.  In fact, no one should feel like that.  We get such a big, clean slate every year that allows us to make progress and work on ourselves.  However, we shouldn’t limit ourselves to just 12 months and a single word.  Wake up every day and own it!

Like I said earlier in this post, I had completely forgotten what my word for 2018 even was!  I had to search my blog for it!  Did I persevere?  I mean, I guess so.  Did I have goals that I set out to achieve this past year?  I’m sure I did.

  • I definitely read more books than I did last year.  12 might not seem like many, but it was probably more than double what I read in 2017.  Plus, I started a new mystery series that I’m really enjoying.  
  • I was hoping to become more of a saver than a spender.  That didn’t work out so well. 
  • I lost some weight….and then gained some of it back.  The struggle is real, but my pants still fit.
  • And speaking of struggles, I still struggled with my inner demons, but I learned from the breakdowns and loved harder than I’ve ever loved before.

Keep moving forward

 
Instead of making my mental list of things I want to achieve this year, I’m going to give myself a break and just keep moving forward.  Sure, I still want to achieve a few things this year, but the goals aren’t going to be hanging over my head.  One of my goals last year was to simplify my life.  I’m still working on it, but I feel like this is just another way to achieve the simplicity that I want in life.    

This year, let’s try to banish toxic thinking and negativity no matter how we choose to embrace the New Year.  Make those resolutions if you want or pick a perfect word.  Or don’t!  Just remember to keep moving forward no matter what life throws at you this year.  Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up if you get bumped off track from your goals.

Are you making resolutions or choosing a word of the year this year? Or are you like me and skipping it altogether?

Put Love on Your List This Holiday with the Amazing Intimacy Box

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This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.  I received the “Love is in the Air” box in exchange for this honest review.  No other compensation has been received.

If you’re looking for a new way to connect with your partner or want to give the gift of experience to a loving couple, put the Amazing Intimacy Box on your holiday list!


I always joke that my friends live in my computer, but the truth is – they kind of do.  Social media has allowed me to meet and connect with so many amazing women.  During my time on Snapchat, I met a woman named Leslie.  She is a Relationship and Certified Sex Therapist and Coach with such a fun and vibrant spirit. 

Leslie has been doing amazing things this year and one of those things was creating the Amazing Intimacy Box.  It’s a subscription box created to bring couples together through products to help you connect with one another.

A few weeks ago, another friend that I met on Snapchat did an unboxing on her Instagram Story.  The products inside the box were so amazing that I immediately contacted Leslie for the sign-up link.  And here we are!  I’m so glad to partner with Leslie on this post.  She has an amazing product that I am so excited to share just in time for holiday shopping!


The “Love is in the Air” box is currently sold out, but you can sign up for a quarterly subscription and receive your first box in January.  Just in time for Valentine’s Day!  This would make a great gift for your significant other (and you, of course!), newlyweds, or even your bestie who could use a little self care time.

Leslie did a fantastic job with all of the items in this box.  We will definitely be using everything inside!  When you’ve been with the love of your life for 11 years, sometimes you need some new ideas for connecting.  Unboxing was like an early Christmas gift I couldn’t wait to share with my husband!  Go ahead and take a look inside this box below!

INSIDE THE AMAZING INTIMACY BOX

 


Ambiance by Amazing Intimacy Box 50 x 60 Throw

We have a ton of blankets in our house!  Everything from furry throws to crocheted afghans.  This fun, pink throw has easily become my new favorite!  Guys, it feels like buttah!  It’s extremely soft to the touch and perfect for snuggling together!  It’s the perfect size for two, although I have to admit that I’ve been keeping this blanket all to myself! 


Love by Amazing Intimacy Box Signature Candle

Nothing sets the ambiance in a room quite like a candle. My husband and I are both big fans of citrus scents, so this candle is perfect for us!  It’s just the right combination of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruit.  It’s definitely not a subtle scent, but it’s not overpowering either.  I’m keeping it next to our bed to wake up our senses!


4oz Soothing Touch Sandalwood Massage Oil

If getting a massage from your partner isn’t sexy enough, add this sandalwood massage oil to the routine!  Sandalwood is a light, woody, sort of spicy, unisex scent.  The oil is made with organic argan and sea buckhorn oils to leave skin feeling silky smooth to the touch!  


One for You and One for Me Etch-a-Sketches

Who doesn’t love a little playtime with their partner?  We get to embrace our inner kids with these his and her Etch-a-Sketches!  We love leaving each other notes in the kitchen every now and then.  They always end with “love you.”  So I decided to add some magnets to the back of these and hang them on the fridge.  Now, we can leave each other drawings and little notes whenever we come and go!  



Ceramic Fondue Set with 4 Stainless Steel Forks & Walkers Shortbread

I love fondue!  So I got very excited for this intimate fondue set for two!  On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, my husband and I ditch the dinner menu and have an appetizer night instead.  We hang out in our pajamas and spend the night nibbling on small bites, watching holiday movies.  This fondue set is definitely being integrated into our yearly tradition!  

Along with the fondue set, there was a small package of Walkers Shortbread.  I am looking forward to whipping up a chocolate fondue complete with fresh strawberries, apple slices, marshmallows, and these shortbread cookies!


This box also included a “welcome” newsletter that includes a link to a Spotify Love is in the Air playlist to really set the mood.  There’s also a breakdown of everything inside this box, plus three experience ideas to utilize everything in the box in a fun, sensual way!

Looking for another great way to connect with your partner?  Download my Date Night Printable!  Every time you go on one of these date nights, cross it off the list!  If you’re gifting an Amazing Intimacy Box subscription, add a copy of this printable with it! 

Are you ready to create exciting, new experiences with your partner?  Use the code AIBFRIENDS at checkout and receive $10 off your first Amazing Intimacy Box!

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What’s your favorite item in this box?



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