Lifestyle - Petite Haus

Angelina July 15, 2019 Beauty and Fashion

It’s Amazon Prime Day!

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This past week has been a big week for shopping. First, the Nordstrom Anniversary kicked off. And today starts Amazon Prime Day! This year Amazon Prime day is TWO DAYS long! I will update this page as I find deals

First off, you are not already an Amazon Prime Member, you can try Amazon Prime free with a 30 day trial here.

The best deals come from Lightning Deals, which you can get to below:

Prime Day Lightning Deals

First off, let’s talk about my #1 favorite item from Amazon. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite E-reader. I LOVE THIS THING!! The newest version is waterproof… so yup, imagine sitting on a pool float reading your favorite book with this in hand! I do this all the time.

Besides purchasing a kindle, joining Kindle Unlimited was the next best thing I’ve done. You get access to tons of books for a monthly fee– the amount you pay per month depends on how long you subscribe for.

My husband and I also love Audible! It is an app you download on your phone and then you can listen to audiobooks. You get one credit a month (so 1 free book a month of your choosing) plus than two free Amazon original books. We listen to books on our commute. If you have Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited the books that have available audiobooks will also appear on the Audible app. You can try audible and get TWO FREE audiobooks here!

Now for a few of my recent favorite product purchases!

Make up Brush cleaner – I can’t believe I went this long without using this cleaner on my makeup brushes! WHOA it does a fantastic job!

Laundry bra wash bags– these bags keep my bras is good shape when I wash them on delicate in the washer. You can put up to two bras in one bag and they come in a set of three. Love these!!

Dip-on-ice serving bowl – Purchased this dip bowl to use at Summer parties and it is great! It keeps my dip nice and cold so I don’t have to worry about getting sick from the dip!

You can visit my AMAZON STORE PAGE here – where I’ve linked tons and tons of products that I love!

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Angelina July 11, 2019 Beauty and Fashion

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2019 Favorite Picks!!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Sharing my picks for the Nordstrom #NSale Anniversary picks for 2019! Keep checking back as I’ll update this page!

Important Dates

July 9 – 11th: Icon level Nordy Club early shopping in-stores
July 11th – Icon and Ambassador status can shop online and in-stores. Online shopping begins at 12:30PM ET.
July 12th: Early access begins for ALL Nordstrom Card Holders
July 19th – The sale is now open to the general public in stores and online.
August 4th – Last day of the sale

As you can see above, it is really beneficial to have a Nordstrom card and join their Nordy club.

Women’s Clothing

Halogen Crewneck Sweater – I always pick up at least one of these every year at the sale. This year I love this striped version! Comes in many different colors.

Chelsea28 Cowl Neck Sweater – I love cowl neck sweaters and this one is very cute! Comes in several different colors!

Leopard Short Sleeve Dress – If I had to dress up for work everyday, I would definitely buy this dress!!

Caslon Tunic Sweatshirt – perfect for lounging around the house!

Zella Live In Leggings – These leggings are GREAT and are a good deal on the sale!

Vince Cableknit Sweater – This sweater is a must-buy for me. It isn’t cheap, but I have a different Vince cable knit cardigan that has lasted for years and I get tons of compliments on it!

J. Crew Striped Shirt – Love this shirt – perfect for the Francophile!

Tie Waist Top – Super cute, wear it casual or dressed up!

Lace Trim Satin Camisole – comes in many different colors, and a great price at $25!! Would look cute with layers!

Lace Trim Wrap Camisole – Super cute!

Alo High Waist Moto Leggings – While I love the Zella Live in Leggings, I also LOVE these Moto leggings!! They look super stylish and I wear them even when I’m not working out

North Face Vest – Super practical and cute!

Zella Criss Cross Sports Bra – How cute is this sports bra?! Love the back!

Natori Feathers Bra – seriously the best bra ever and a Nordstrom bestseller. I always stock up on these during the sale. Many different colors.

Jackets, Coats and Cardigans

Faux Leather Motorcycle Jacket – a great edgy look for going out!

Periwinkle Long Coat – I LOOOOOVE this coat!! I want to buy it even though I’d probably only wear it like two times a year here in California.

Madewell Ryder Cardigan – These always sell out every sale!

Madewell Oversize Denim Jacket – This denim jacket is a little bit bigger and longer than other jackets and so I plan to buy it and see how it fits.

Wool and Cashmere Long Cardigan – If there’s one thing that lasts forever in my wardrobe (regardless if I go up and down in weight) it is a long cardigan like this one!

Treasure and Bond Biker Jacket – Love the look of this jacket! I plan to order it and see how it looks on me.

Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan – So comfy! A bestseller every year!

Longline Open Cardigan – cute long cardigan, lots of colors and a great price at $32!

Kenneth Cole Plaid Coat with removable shawl collar – Love this coat too!

Barbour Waxed Jacket – I have a waxed cotton Barbour and LOOOOVE it!

Barbour Quilted Jacket – Can you tell I love Barbour??

Barbour Waterproof Raincoat with hood – love this color!

BB Dakota Faux Suede Jacket – How cute is this jacket?!?!

BEST SELLERS

Besides my favorite picks above, below are some #1 BEST SELLERS! These WILL SELL OUT I guarantee it!

BP Long Leopard Jacquard sweater

Leith Wrap Sweater – comes in many colors. I don’t wear wrap shirts since they never look good on me, but this one is a great buy and can be dressed up or down!

Free People Knit Tunic – this will look super cute with a pair of leggings or jeans this Fall! Or pair it with tall or thigh high boots!

Patagonia Fleece Jacket – I bought the pullover version of this jacket one year at the sale and loooooove it!!

Zella Leggings – Already mentioned above, but they really are best seller and come in different colors too. Shop all Zella here.

Halogen Open Front Cardigan – Great price, comes in tons of colors. Very versatile!

Spanx Faux Leather Leggings – I have read so many good things about these, I think I might splurge and get them this year. Apparently they make your legs and bootie look good!

Women’s Shoes

Tory Burch Riding Boots – last year’s Tory Burch boot collection was a disappointment. This year though… check these beauties out!

Vince Camuto Perforated Booties – These booties are always a #1 seller at the sale and you can see why! Super cute!

Hunter Rain Boots – I have two pairs of Hunter boots and love them!!

Nike Classic Cortez Sneaker – I have these in a different color way and I love them!

Paul Green slouchy booty– Love Paul Green shoes! They are so comfy!!

Paige Studded Booties – I have read multiple reviews that these are super comfy. I love the edgy look of them. They kind of remind me of the Celine boots that are 6-7x this price!

Tory Burch Everly Slide – Cute and chic! Comes in several colors.

Adidas Gazelle Sneakers – Can’t go wrong with these classic sneakers!

Ugg Scuffette Slipper – Ugg slippers are so comfy. I have multiple pairs. These are a great deal and don’t forget they work as Christmas presents!!!

Accessories

Tory Burch Saddle Bag – I’ve been looking for the perfect crossbody saddle bag and I think this is it! Comes in several different color ways.

Kate Spade Satchel – cute bag, several different colors!

Longchamp Le pliage expandable tote – If you do not own one of these then I strongly suggest buying one at the sale! They are a great deal right now and perfect for traveling!

Marc Jacobs Camera Bag – Camera bags are ALL the rage this year. This one is $100 off its regular price and comes in tons of colors!

Rebecca Minkoff Cross Body Circle Bag – Also a very popular bag style this year! I love the faux crocodile.

Faux Leather Crossbody – This leather crossbody is super cute and under $40!

Love these Rayban Sunglasses!!

St. Tropez Tanning Express Mousse – this stuff is GREAT. The best self-tanner there is.

NeuLash – Eyelash Growth Serum. This is like the miracle worker for beautiful full long lashes.

Kiehls Creme de Corps Body Cream – This stuff is fantastic! It is always a great buy at the sale! Stock up on this stuff.

Tory Burch Milgrain Stud Earrings – cute earrings and on sale!

Kendra Scott Adjustable Pendant Necklace – I have an older version of this necklace and it is so versatile!

Plaid Wrap Scarf – This blanket scarf is guaranteed to sell out because it is cute and a great bargain!!

Lightweight Cashmere Scarf – this scarf is PERFECT for travel and wearing on the airplane!!

For the Home

Barefoot Dreams Blanket– Supersoft! Perfect for cuddling up to on the couch!

Diptyque Five Candle Set – A great buy! Makes great gifts. $55. I love Ditpqyute and they make seriously the best candles ever. If I could, I would wrap myself up in a little Diptyque cocoon every day as that is how good they smell.

Tumi V3 International Carry-On – Okay. Luggage is expensive. GOOD luggage is even more expensive. My Dad, who has traveled something like 500,000 miles uses Tumi. So we use Tumi. Did you know he had the same Tumi bag while traveling those thousands of miles?? Tumi is a great brand – so if you are looking for luggage this is the one to get!

Pure Silk Pillowcase – I’ve read many great things about sleeping on a pure silk pillowcase! This one is on sale!

Antica Farmacista Diffusers – I always stock up on these. MY favorite scent is Prosecco.

Nest Handsoap – treat yourself (or your guests) to some nice hand soap.

Men’s Finds

I’ll add more to the Men’s section as I go… this is what I’ve found so far that are must-haves.

Barbour Men’s Quilted Bowden Jacket

Barbour Flyweight Jacket

AG Slim straight jeans – good deal, good looking.

Allen Edmond’s Park Avenue – My husband says Allen Edmonds makes the best dress shoes ever. The classics rarely go on sale, so now is your chance to buy them!

AG Wanderer Modern Slim Shorts – husband loves these shorts. Will pick up some new colors this sale.

Shop Women’s Clothing // Shoes // Handbags // Jewelry // Beauty

Shop Men’s Clothing // Shoes // children’s // home

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Angelina June 21, 2019 friday favorites

Best Peloton Accessories

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know how much I love the Peloton bike. I wrote about it here (Peloton Bike – 3 years later) and here (Peloton bike – 100 rides later). I have been on a big exercise kick for the past 6-8 months.

I’m going to share some must-have accessories for your bike!

Bike Seat Cover – now I personally don’t use it, but I know many people complain that the seat is too hard and a gel seat cover is a must. once you get used to the bike, you don’t need it! But many people love it!

Gym towels – these microfiber gym towels would be perfect for drying off!

Spintowel – I recently learned of this. It covers your bike handles with a towel and then also has a towel you can use to wipe yourself off with. It is made specifically for the Peloton bike!

Sweat wicking headband- The peloton makes you SWEAT. I have sweat dripping down into my eyes every time I cycle. These headbands are a must if you are a sweaty head like me!

Tower fan – speaking of sweat, you need to have a fan! I have an older version of this tower fan. Having the remove control is key! I keep the remote control behind the seat and can change the fan speed based on my demand!

Or a smaller fan – if you don’t want a big tower fan, this little fan is good too. The key though is the remote control! TRUST ME!

Scosche Heart Rate Monitor – this is the heart rate monitor that tons of riders use! If you don’t like the chest strap monitor that comes with the bike, then get this one!

Bike Mat – strongly recommend putting an exercise mat under your bike to catch your sweat! We have this one under our bike.

Delta Bike Cleats – You can buy pretty much whatever indoor cycling shoes you want, so long as they are delta bike cleat compatible. I bought Shimano cycling shoes and then these bike cleats. You don’t have to stick to the Peloton shoes.

Weights – If you are going to do some strength training classes off the bike, you likely need to buy some weights. I have purchased these weights in several different sizes. They do NOT fit in the little holder behind your bike. I use them for the strength training classes.

Earbuds – Spinning on the bike can be loud and obnoxious to other people who may be nearby. These earbuds are used by many riders and are loved. They are also great to wear especially if you have little ones around as, for instance, the music in Robin’s classes often contain explicit language.

Favorite Spin Pants – I love these Align pants by Lululemon.

Now I know that this isn’t for the bike per se, but these are must haves for yoga!

Yoga Mat – must have for yoga and even stretching exercises

Yoga Blocks and Strap – must have for yoga!

You can also check out my Amazon page – I linked even more items there!

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Angelina May 31, 2019 Beauty and Fashion

Gucci Princetown Mule vs Brixton Loafer Review

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

In search for a classic loafer/mule style for a while, I had my eyes on a pair of Guccis for quite some time. I bought a pair of black Brixton loafers last year and without a doubt I can say it was the best shoe decision I’ve ever made. The shoes feel like butter on my feet. They are made of the softest leather with leather soles. They mold to the shape of your feet. I broke them in and walked 5 miles in them in one day… and I had no blisters.

Another reason they are super comfy is because the heel of the shoe is extra supple. In fact, it is designed to be worn like below. Often times on loafers or flats the heel is uncomfortable and will dig into my heel. But with the extra soft leather, it doesn’t!

Below is the alternate way you can wear them.

So, I decided to get a second pair.

I know that the Princetown mules are incredibly popular, so I bought a pair. And guess what… I didn’t love them! And for the price, you HAVE to love them!

Why didn’t I love them? Well, I’ll show you. The pink shoe on the left is the Princetown Mule. The black shoe on the right is the Brixton Loafer. Do you see how the pink mule has a longer tongue and goes further up my foot? It made my foot look bigger. I wear size 9 or (39 in Gucci). Since it went further up my foot it also wasn’t as comfortable when I walked.

So I returned the mules and ordered the pink loafers! You can see them below! I think the proportion of the loafer is better looking on my foot. Plus, the loafer is actually a nicer shoe.

I’ll explain how it is a nicer shoe. Let’s exam the soles. The bottom left is the Princetown. The bottom right is the Brixton. The one of the right is clearly nicer. One, look how many nails are in the sole of the shoe to keep the shoe together? The brixton has 10. 7 in the heel and 3 at the toe. The Princetown only has 2 in the heel. That means the rest of the sole is glued on.

Since I plan on keeping these puppies forever, I’ll take the better made shoe, thank you.

Yes, it is a total splurge and I’m well aware of the fact that I do not need these shoes. But I bought them. And I loved them. And I highly recommend them! They come in tons of colors! I’ve linked them in the widget below.

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Angelina May 26, 2019 DIY projects

DIY Orchid Centerpiece in an Ironstone Bowl

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

I recently updated my orchid centerpiece in my living room.

DIY orchid centerpiece in white ironstone bowl

If you are regular follower of my blog, then you might remember by DIY orchid dough bowl centerpiece. The flowers on those orchids have wilted, so I updated my centerpiece!

DIY orchid centerpiece in white ironstone bowl

This time I used two large orchids I got at Trader Joe’s at $12.99/each. A third one sits in the back getting ready to bloom. I didn’t even take them out of the pots they came in since my iron stone bowl is deep. I sat them inside. Then I used packing peanuts and sprinkled them around the orchids. Then for the top layer, I used chartreuse reindeer moss.

DIY orchid centerpiece in white ironstone bowl

Super easy and chic!

DIY orchid centerpiece in white ironstone bowl

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Angelina May 6, 2019 entertaining

A Spring Tea Party and Blog Hop

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner so I’m joining many other bloggers to share with you Spring tea party inspiration! A big thanks to Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home for organizing this blog hop!

If you are coming from Celebrate and Decorate, welcome to my tea party for two!

You don’t have to go all out for tea parties! For this party, I indulged and made one of my favorite iced teas, Tea Forte’s Iced Raspberry Nectar Tea. It is so refreshing on a hot day!

I am excited to use my brand new iced tea glasses! Yes, that’s what they are called! I found them at Pottery Barn! Aren’t they cute?? I also use these silicone straws – here in CA they love paper straws so we had to purchase reusable straws.

Also had fun taking photos of my dining room with the fresh lilacs!

The lilacs I found at Trader Joe’s!

They are photogenic and I like to take photos! If you love tea parties, check out a few of my other Tea Party posts. I had a Downton Abbey Themed Tea Party, Peter Rabbit Themed Tea Party, and a vintage Valentine’s tea party.

Up next on this Spring Tea Party hop is My Thrift Store Addiction!

If you wish to see all of the posts, simply click on any of the pictures below!

Or you can access everyone’s posts by clicking on the links below!

Follow The Yellow Brick Home

Celebrate and Decorate

Petite Haus

My Thrift Store Addiction

Rosemary and Thyme

Virginia Sweet Pea

Calyspo In The Country

Decorate and More With Tip

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Angelina April 8, 2019 Easter

Elegant Easter Table Setting to Hop into Easter

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Hop into Easter with us as many talented bloggers share our Easter decor this year! Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home organized this fun blog hop, thank you!

If are hopping on over from Rosemary and Thyme, welcome!

This year I was inspired by the chocolate bunnies, birdies, and the papier mâché candy eggs that I have.

I believe the papier mâché eggs started in Germany and become popular in the late 1800s. The ones I have are new, but I love the vintage look of them!

The idea is for each place setting to have an egg full of candy to take home! I need to grow my collection!

I love the foiled chocolates too! These ones I have are faux, but you could easily use real ones too! I love this little guy nested in the reindeer moss.

Do you like the pink goblets? They are iced tea glasses from Pottery Barn and I just got them. I love them! They are the perfect size for iced drinks!!

Next up on this hop is Shannon at Belle Bleu Interiors! Hop on over there next!

Follow The Yellow Brick Home | Common Ground | A Stroll Thru Life | Our Southern Home | Decor To Adore

County Road 407 | The Painted Hinge | Let’s Add Sprinkles | Art and Sand | Itsy Bits and Pieces

Have A Daily Cup of Mrs. | Olson My Thrift Store Addiction |Botanic Bleu | Rosemary and Thyme | Petite Haus

Belle Bleu Interiors | Calypso In the Country | Virginia Sweet Pea | Blue Sky At Home | Debbee’s Buzz

The Red Painted Cottage |The Crowned Goat||The Tattered Pew |Thistle Key Lane |Joy In Our Home

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Angelina April 4, 2019 entertaining

A Peter Rabbit Party

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Recently, my Mom hosted a Peter Rabbit Themed Party. It was for my cousin’s baby shower. She decorated the nursery in a Beatrix Potter theme, so the theme was carried out into this baby shower! Although this was a baby shower, this party theme works for birthdays as well!

There was a lovely two tiered cake complete with Mother Goose on top!

Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny were spotted nearby the “garden” floral arrangement.

The floral arrangements contained lettuce and mums! There are a few other plants but I don’t remember their names. We wanted it to feel like you were hopping into Mr. McGregor’s garden.

Except this time we won’t chase the animals out of the garden!

Since Beatrix Potter is from England, the food theme was a traditional English tea party.

The tea sandwiches were made from recipes from The Kitchen is my Playground… our favorite was the vegetable spread tea sandwiches! My mouth is watering thinking of them again. I’ll definitely make them for Easter.

Tea party was complete with homemade fresh scones and petit fours. The petit fours came from Harry and David. Petit fours as it turns out are hard to find!

Another shot of the party! The baby shower was for a girl… if it were a boy, I would have put blue underneath the lace table cloth!

peter rabbit party theme baby shower birthday party

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Angelina March 10, 2019 DIY projects

DIY Orchid Dough Bowl Centerpiece

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

It seems everywhere I look online, magazines, and in stores I see a bowl full of orchids (faux or real) with moss. I love the look, but often times they are super pricey.

I thought, well, HEY, I could do that myself. So I went on a hunt for white orchids. I eventually found these at Trader Joe’s. There are actually two different sizes here. Three mini ones and one medium size one. There is also a non-blooming orchid in the center that is large.

The mini ones were $6.99/each. The medium one was $11.99. I first filled my dough bowl with peanuts until I got it to a level that I liked.

Then I put some cardboard to make a flat surface, and then plastic down so if the orchids leaked it wouldn’t ruin the dough bowl. Next, I placed the orchids in their clear containers. Then I filled the bowl with chartreuse reindeer moss until I was happy.

Voila! This dough bowl is HUGE so it takes quite a few orchids. You could easily do this in a smaller bowl – dough bowl or really any other bowl. The orchids usually bloom for a month or two. I love this fun pop of color in the living room! I hope you enjoyed my DIY orchid dough bowl centerpiece

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Angelina February 17, 2019 entertaining

Woodland Baby Shower

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Recently my Mom hosted a baby shower that was Woodland themed! I just had to share some pictures from the shower because it is so cute!

The woodland themed party doesn’t have to be for *just* babies – this would be so cute for birthdays or really any party!

Woodland critters sit on top of a moss runner.

We took the woodland deer from Christmas and put faux flowers around their Christmas collars to dress them up for the party!

Faux bois vases found at the local floral market were used for the floral arrangements.

Stalks, ferns, and I think they are Celosia were used in the floral arrangements.

Looking at the centerpiece on the other table.

I love all of these woodland creatures!

Moss is sprinkled around the base too. The woodland creatures were a collection from my mom, aunt, and myself!

A party idea which I thought was really cute… instead of bringing cards we brought children’s books. Then we signed a bookplate for the baby so she will have a library of books!

For parties, you don’t have to go fancy with the cake. This cake came from the grocery store (a fruit basket cake, yummm, delicious!!!) Then there are also mini bundt cake bites from Nothing Bundt Cakes.

The cake was displayed on my woodland cheese platter with cute vintage deer used for this adorable theme.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures from the party and took away some ideas for a woodland themed party!

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Angelina February 3, 2019 Lifestyle

Swan Valentine’s Table for Two

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This year for my Valentine’s Day tablescape, I used a beautiful swan as the centerpiece.

valentine's day table for two with swan and hearts

The swan was purchased for Christmas, actually. I had planned to have him sit under the tree. Then I saw the feathers. We have a cat. Cats love feathers. So I perched him high above the refrigerator for Winter. I thought he would be perfect for Valentine’s Day, since swans are so romantic (except in real life, they are pretty much mean divas).

This year I set the table for two! We never go out for Valentine’s Day. We always stay at home for a night in. We prefer to cook and ignore the crowds, over priced specials, etc. Plus, I think my husband can cook better than many restaurants! Married a keeper!

Despite everything I just said above, this year we were walking in the mall as we passed a chocolate shop with its heart boxes and I told him, one day I hope you’ll get me a box of Valentine’s chocolates. He said, nope, never. OK. I’ll get my own. So I did.

So last week, I went to Ladurée, which if you’re not familiar with, is famous for its macarons. I wrote about my experience visiting the tea room in Paris here. They have a few locations in the USA now. Two are in Southern California – The Grove and Beverly Hills.

So I went and bough myself a pretty pretty box of macarons. I adore the rose on top!

The box sits on top of a stack of antique and vintage plates.

The rest of the items on the table I already had and pulled out of various cabinets. If you’ve noticed, there are a few Staffordshire swan spill vases in the center of the table as well.

I hope you enjoyed our Valentine’s Day table for two and have been inspired to spend your Valentine’s day at home for a nice dinner in!

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Angelina January 4, 2019 friday favorites

Peloton Bike Review – 3 years later!

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Happy New Year! With the new year everyone starts thinking about health and fitness. So I thought I would write about my favorite piece of exercise equipment: THE PELOTON BIKE!!!

We have had the Peloton Bike for almost 3 years and we love it. We initially purchased it because we were having trouble making time to go to the gym because of our busy lifestyle. I first wrote a review at 100 rides later which you can read here.

I thought I would show you have we have set up our bike at our house now since we’ve moved. These are pictures of our exercise area.

As you can see in the picture below we set up our tower fan to cool us while riding.

The bike holds 2 water bottles. When we are not working out we leave our towel and heart rate monitor to dry on the handle bars.

The bike holds the weights behind you. This is convenient as some of the cycling classes have an arms session.

We also keep our remove control for the fan and the much needed chapstick here.

We have an exercise mat underneath the bike to catch sweat because this bike will make you sweat!

Below are some screen shots from the app but you can do the classes also on the bike. Since writing my previous review they have added many more exercise options such as boot camp, live yoga classes, running indoor and outdoor etc.

A new feature also includes training programs. I recently finished the 4 week Ride Tabata with Robin and it was great.

During each classes the bike measures many different metrics. I have includes a screen shot of one of my recent rides. These metrics include heart rate if wearing a compatible heart rate monitor, resistance, speed, cadence, and output based on wattage.

Also they have added new badges that you can earn. These are fun to collect. As you can see I don’t do any of the boot camps but I love riding.

Another example of some of the badges. In December they added monthly challenges which is a good motivator. You can ride with friends and also earn badges as noted by these social badges below.

While you are riding you can “high five” other riders who are currently riding. This is nice especially during the hard parts of rides.

During our workouts our cat sits in her tower and sleeps while we are sweating to death.

You can also use the app on your iPad. We use this for core workouts and yoga. It is also great if you are traveling. If you don’t want to splurge on the bike you can first download the app to subscribe to see if this is something you are truly interested in.

While the bike is no where cheap at $2245, we felt it has been worth every penny and between my husband and I we use it nearly everyday. The peloton membership is $39 dollars a month.

They now have introduced a Treadmill too, called the Peloton Tread. We have been debating about it… but I hate running so I don’t know how much I’d use it. You certainly don’t have to run while using the treadmill – you can walk on it and there are walking programs in addition to programs for training for 5Ks and marathons!

My review earlier has more basic questions and answers and more of my favorite accessories – if you are seriously thinking about the bike you’ll want to read that review too! You can purchase the bike here.

Favorite Extra Equipment

Here is the equipment mat we use – cheaper than the Peloton one.

I love this sweat wicking temple tape headband.

Shoe clips – hang two pairs of cycling shoes on the back of the bike on the weight rack – perfect if you don’t have a lot of space! We just store our shoes in a cabinet in the room.

These are the clips you need for your cycling shoes if you don’t buy the Peloton branded shoes.

Love these weights – they fit in your bike weight holder (at least the 1 and 3 pound did!)

Highly recommend a tower fan with a remote control like this.

I have some of my favorite work out products here at my Amazon store.

You can use my referral code HMUX7R when you purchase the bike – this gives you and me $100 off at the Peloton boutique! win win!

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Angelina November 9, 2018 entertaining

Thanksgiving Tablescape with Pumpkin Cake

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A Thanksgiving Tablescape in nontraditional colors. I know I shared this table earlier this Fall, but I made a few tweaks and a cake! Next week I’m sharing my traditional Thanksgiving table as part of a Thanksgiving table blog hop! It’s fun to compare and contrast the two looks.

Fall table

The cake I made was this pumpkin bundt cake (recipe here). green and white Fall table

If you remember, the table from a few weeks ago had white pumpkin cocottes on top of each place setting. I removed those, added some candles and a cake. Fall Thanksgiving table #tabledecorations #tablescapes #tabledecor #tablecenterpieces #tablesettingideas #falltablesettings #farmhousetablesettings #autumntablescapes #casualtablesettings #beautifultablesettings #uniquetablescapes #neutraltablescapes #thanksgivingtablesettings #dinnertpartytablescapes

Now you can see what green plates were hiding below – these beautiful majolica plates!

Fall table with pumpkin spice cake

Yes, we eat off of our antique and vintage china, as pictured below. I recommend not using any knives on it so they won’t scratch the dishes!

Fall table with pumpkin spice cake

I love dining by candlelight, especially in the Fall and Winter. I pulled out my new candlesticks for this table!

Fall table #tabledecorations #tablescapes #tabledecor #tablecenterpieces #tablesettingideas #falltablesettings #farmhousetablesettings #autumntablescapes #casualtablesettings #beautifultablesettings #uniquetablescapes #neutraltablescapes #thanksgivingtablesettings #dinnertpartytablescapes

Now it took me a while to find a candle that actually fit these candlesticks. These candlesticks are made in France, so of course the candles don’t come in standard US sizes. I went to lots of different stores trying to find candles that would fit. I ended up having to cut a larger candlestick to size in order to fit. Fall table with green and white

To set your Thanksgiving tablescape, you can try some new things: maybe use non traditional colors. Use your antique or vintage china. Dine by candlelight.

Fall pumpkin spice cake

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Angelina November 5, 2018 entertaining

Things You Can Do Now To Get Ready For Thanksgiving

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Thanksgiving is coming up later this month, but there are a few things you can do now that you can check off your list. That way when it’s crunch time… You’ve already done it!

This is so important, especially when hosting larger gatherings. Below is a picture of our Thanksgiving table last year set for our guests (there were actually two more tables that didn’t even fit in this room!)

Clean your china

Do you have seasonal or formal dinnerware that you use for this occasion? What about glassware? If you are like me, they have been sitting in storage all year and it’s time to wash the dust off of them.

thanksgiving table

Clean and Iron the Linens

What linens are you going to use? A tablecloth? Placemats? Napkins? Are they clean? Did you iron them? This is a huge time saving step you can do right now!

Polish the Silver

If you have silver or silver-plated cutlery, they may require polishing. Take them out of the cabinet and decide if they need to be polished.

Decide Your Meal Plan

Have you decided what exact recipes you are going to make? If you make the same thing every year and use the same recipes, great! We always try a new dish or two to see what is a hit or not. Below, we made these Parker House Bread rolls and they were delicious! I strongly recommend making them!

Make what you can ahead of time – and freeze it

Now that you’ve meal planned, is there something you can make ahead and freeze? Like maybe your pie dough, perhaps? We sometimes make a pumpkin soup that calls for pureed kuri squash. We will bake the squash in advance and freeze it so when it comes time all we have to do is actually just make the soup. Below, the best apple pie ever. Get the recipe here!

Early Grocery Shopping

Are there things you can get at the grocery store now to prepare? For instance, we started using Trader Joe’s puff pastry dough because it is made with real butter. We had previously used Pepperidge Farms, however that is made with oil – which that is totally fine, once you try to the TJ’s dough, you will realize, oh, that is better. We tried to buy some – but they sold out! I confess, I already bought mine for this year! Below, our #1 appetizer, the apple gruyere onion tart bites. Apple Gruyere tart recipe is here.

things you can do now to get ready for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving prep. Thanksgiving dinner idea.

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Angelina July 30, 2018 Lifestyle

Home Tech Gadgets That Made My Busy Life Better

We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.

Today I’m sharing some home tech gadgets that made my busy life better. Using these gadgets gives me more time to do things I love (like blogging) and spending more time with my family. Update: Forgot to mention, I was not paid to write about these products. I purchased them on my own and this is what I think of them.

A Robot Vacuum

How it made my life better – less time spent vacuuming because it does it for you!

I can’t sing enough praise about my Neato Botvac! We’ve had it now for 1.5 years and love it! Sure, it misses spots here and there, but it is really great to run during the week. I’ll hit the spots with my other vacuum that it misses (like right next to the baseboards), but using this vacuum significantly reduces the amount of time that I spend vacuuming! In fact, as I type, this is vacuuming my bedroom!

There are several different brands, but the two brands that seem to be the most prominent are Neato Botvac and Roomba. We bought the Neato Botvac D80 since it made the most sense for us. They work on both carpet and wood floor/tile. We have stairs and it doesn’t tumble down the stairs.

There are lots of different models. My parents bought a connected Neato Botvac – meaning it works through an app. The D5 Connected Botvac is considered “the best” and works with Alexa and Google Home.

Now the Roomba 690 is the best selling roomba and is under $300. I also know Costco has a Roomba but it is not “the best” one, but it might be the best for your wallet.

Or check out all of the Best Selling Robot Vacuums on Amazon!

A Hard Floor Vacuum

How it made my life better – Less time spent cleaning tile floors!

Wait, I see a theme. Vacuuming. Well this Hoover Hard Floor Vacuum can clean tile floors (and linoleum)! It is awesome! My Aunt first had one and sang praises – then we bought one and love it! We’ve even used it outside on our tiled patio (of course after we swept). Cleaning tile floors is a big huge pain otherwise and this vacuum makes it so simple! I’ve used it to clean my tiled shower as well!

Pet Net Smart Feeder

How it made my life better – well, it made my cat’s life better since she is healthy now, but it allows us to go on vacation and not worry about her getting fed!

This is an automatic feeder for cats and dogs. Our vet told us we had to put our cat on a diet and there was no way we could both be at work and feed the cat, so we found this smart feeder.

It allows you to portion out automatic feeds during the day! It also has dietary recommendations for your cat/dog based on their weight, age, breed, etc.

It also works through a phone app – so when you’re away or on vacation you can make sure your kitty/doggie is getting fed. We *love* our Smart Feeder and highly recommend it. It stores a bunch of kibbles in its tank and keeps them sealed – your pet will not be able to break into it.

Litter Robot

How it made my life better – Cleaning a cat litter box sucks and this makes it super simple and easy. On top of that, there is no smell of a litter box in the room!

This cat litter box automatically cleans itself. One your kitty goes the bathroom, it rotates and spins the poo/pee down into the container below it. The container is sealed off so there is no smell. The container holds a trash bag so when it’s full you literally just tie the bag and throw it away! The cat box is then *always* clean, which if you’re a cat person, you’ll know how much cats love clean litter boxes.

Yes, we are *those* cat people. Our cat is spoiled. Although honestly, the litter robot is more for us than the cat. It looks like a space ship and the cat was at first a little hesitant to use it. Once we put this little stool in front of it, she happily jumps in and out of the thing. We have the Litter Robot III. There is also one with an app. An aunt of mine has one and loves it too! Saves a lot of time fishing cat poo out of a box!

Peloton Bike

How it made my life better – I exercise so much more than I used to before this bike! Between my husband and I, we use it everyday. This was totally worth the money for our cardiovascular health!

I love using my Peloton bike at home! I wrote about here in my Bike Review – 100 rides later. The Peloton allows you to do a spin class – from the comfort of your own home. Now I don’t have to spend time going back and forth to spin class and I can do a class whenever I want. You can do classes “live” or on -demand. I just did one earlier today. Using this bike saves me so much time driving to the gym.

If you purchase a bike, you can use my referral code HMUX7R – this will give both you and me $100 off at the Peloton Boutique!

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Favorite Extra Equipment

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Clean your china

Clean and Iron the Linens

Polish the Silver

Decide Your Meal Plan

Make what you can ahead of time – and freeze it

Early Grocery Shopping

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A Robot Vacuum

A Hard Floor Vacuum

Pet Net Smart Feeder

Litter Robot

Peloton Bike

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