Three weeks ago, after my daughter finished her summer camp, we just packed our suitcases and went to Boston for a few days.

Boston, MA

It was very exciting trip for us not only because we were visiting Boston for the first time but also, because it was our first travel since the Pandemic started. After our 4-hour drive, we finally arrived at our hotel __ Boston Marriott Long Wharf. 

                            Boston Marriott Long Wharf

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston, MA

What we liked:

• The location: Marriott Long Wharf is conveniently located within walking distance from a few historical sites/ tourist attractions, including Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum, Boston Aquarium, Faneuil Hall.
• Views: The views from the room as well as from a dining area of the hotel were amazing.
• The stuff: The stuff was very nice.

What we did not like:

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Waterfront, Boston

• No privacy in the bathroom: there was absolutely no privacy while using a bathroom, "thanks to" its sliding door that was not closing completely. 
• The shower and sink had zero pressure.
• The breakfast buffet was average for a 4-star hotel.

After checked in, we went out to explore Boston and find a place to have lunch. We walked to Union street and found this charming seafood restaurant called Union Oyster House and decided to have lunch there. 

                           Union Oyster House __ the oldest restaurant in Boston

 The history of this oldest restaurant of Boston is fascinating __they had been serving their customers since 1826. The interior of this place looked nothing like any other restaurant we had ever visited, but the food was not as great as the vibe of the restaurant.

 I ordered my first ever Boston Lobster Roll that was priced as "market price" that apparently was $38. It was a small bun with tiny bit of lobster and some French fries. I was not impressed at all, my husband didn't like his lunch either, so probably there is no need to admit that after we spend over $100 for our tasteless lunch, we will not go to Union Oyster House anytime soon.

Union Oyster House _ the oldest restaurant in Boston

After our first disappointing lunch in Boston, we continue walking in the neighborhoods to see the Old State House, and Boston Massacre site. 

Old State House, Boston

Boston Massacre Site

From there, we went to Boston Common __ another historical place on Freedom Trail. We took a 5-minute swan boat ride in a pond, in the middle of the park. It was a wonderful experience, there were many docks in the water while passing by with our swan-shaped boat and it looked amazing. This was my daughter's favorite part of our vacation.

Boston Common

Boston Common _ public garden

 By the time we went out of Boston Common, it was already dinner time, so we decided to go to The North End __ Italian neighborhood of Boston, we were so happy we did. It was the most charming place we had gone to Boston during our trip. The sun was going down and you could see the sunset reflection on the flowers that were lined up along the outdoor dining tables. And when those outdoor sitting areas were lit up by night light, the whole place looked magical. I'm not gonna lie, at some point I felt like I was in Rome again. 

Little Italy, Boston

The delicious salad in Italian restaurant

 We ended up going to one of the Italian restaurants for dinner. I got my salad with grilled chicken that tasted heavenly, the rest of the ordered food also tasted delicious. 

 After our tasteful dinner and positive mood, we walked back to the hotel, still talking about how beautiful Italian neighborhood of Boston looked. 

Let me finish here and make sure you check out part 2 of our Boston travel journey.

P.S. I'm so happy to be back to blogging after a very long break. There were many reasons I couldn't be active on social media but I'm back and I'm planning to post on the blog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Missed you all, and see you again on the blog on Friday.

Thanks for reading. 

STAY  FABULOUS!

• September 01, 2021
• Boston

Boston Travel guide 2021 (part 1) __ Marriott Long Warf, Union Oyster House, Boston Common

Three weeks ago, after my daughter finished her summer camp, we just packed our suitcases and went to Boston for a few days.

Boston, MA

It was very exciting trip for us not only because we were visiting Boston for the first time but also, because it was our first travel since the Pandemic started. After our 4-hour drive, we finally arrived at our hotel __ Boston Marriott Long Wharf. 

                            Boston Marriott Long Wharf

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Boston, MA

What we liked:

• The location: Marriott Long Wharf is conveniently located within walking distance from a few historical sites/ tourist attractions, including Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum, Boston Aquarium, Faneuil Hall.
• Views: The views from the room as well as from a dining area of the hotel were amazing.
• The stuff: The stuff was very nice.

What we did not like:

Boston Marriott Long Wharf Hotel in Waterfront, Boston

• No privacy in the bathroom: there was absolutely no privacy while using a bathroom, "thanks to" its sliding door that was not closing completely. 
• The shower and sink had zero pressure.
• The breakfast buffet was average for a 4-star hotel.

After checked in, we went out to explore Boston and find a place to have lunch. We walked to Union street and found this charming seafood restaurant called Union Oyster House and decided to have lunch there. 

                           Union Oyster House __ the oldest restaurant in Boston

 The history of this oldest restaurant of Boston is fascinating __they had been serving their customers since 1826. The interior of this place looked nothing like any other restaurant we had ever visited, but the food was not as great as the vibe of the restaurant.

 I ordered my first ever Boston Lobster Roll that was priced as "market price" that apparently was $38. It was a small bun with tiny bit of lobster and some French fries. I was not impressed at all, my husband didn't like his lunch either, so probably there is no need to admit that after we spend over $100 for our tasteless lunch, we will not go to Union Oyster House anytime soon.

Union Oyster House _ the oldest restaurant in Boston

After our first disappointing lunch in Boston, we continue walking in the neighborhoods to see the Old State House, and Boston Massacre site. 

Old State House, Boston

Boston Massacre Site

From there, we went to Boston Common __ another historical place on Freedom Trail. We took a 5-minute swan boat ride in a pond, in the middle of the park. It was a wonderful experience, there were many docks in the water while passing by with our swan-shaped boat and it looked amazing. This was my daughter's favorite part of our vacation.

Boston Common

Boston Common _ public garden

 By the time we went out of Boston Common, it was already dinner time, so we decided to go to The North End __ Italian neighborhood of Boston, we were so happy we did. It was the most charming place we had gone to Boston during our trip. The sun was going down and you could see the sunset reflection on the flowers that were lined up along the outdoor dining tables. And when those outdoor sitting areas were lit up by night light, the whole place looked magical. I'm not gonna lie, at some point I felt like I was in Rome again. 

Little Italy, Boston

The delicious salad in Italian restaurant

 We ended up going to one of the Italian restaurants for dinner. I got my salad with grilled chicken that tasted heavenly, the rest of the ordered food also tasted delicious. 

 After our tasteful dinner and positive mood, we walked back to the hotel, still talking about how beautiful Italian neighborhood of Boston looked. 

Let me finish here and make sure you check out part 2 of our Boston travel journey.

P.S. I'm so happy to be back to blogging after a very long break. There were many reasons I couldn't be active on social media but I'm back and I'm planning to post on the blog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Missed you all, and see you again on the blog on Friday.

Thanks for reading. 

STAY  FABULOUS!

Read more »

 

 Today I want to show you two new products that I had recently added to my everyday makeup routine: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer. Let me start from the setting powder.

                                   Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder

This Hourglass translucent setting powder is an ultra-refined powder formulated with light-reflecting particles to blur imperfections. As the brand describes, Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting powder blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles for an airbrushed finish.

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting powder and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

It features an innovative gold sifter and custom cap which allow for the perfect amount of product to be dispensed. I've never had any issue with it so far. 

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder 

You will appreciate the fact that this translucent setting powder doesn't contain talk, so because of that , it leaves an absolutely invisible finish , making it perfect for all skin tones. This powder is also formulated without Parabens.

It's very finely milled so it doesn't leave powdery look on my dry skin. I apply this Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder after my La Mer liquid foundation and it creates an amazing natural finish.

No let's move on to another product from Hourglass: Ambient Lighting Bronzer that I bought in travel size and I'm glad I did, because this bronzer will probably last me forever. 

                                     Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

This Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer fuses the illuminating effects of Ambient Lighting Powder with bronze pigments to add depth and dimension for a sun-kissed glow.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

The hand-made powders are formulated using an advanced miscelare technique to create the perfect balance of pigment and powder, and no two look alike. This bronzer can be worn alone for subtle warmth and contouring or paired with a setting powder.

I use the darker part of this bronzer as a bronzer, but the lighter part for highlighting, but you can simply use  it as a bronzer. 

I like the fact that it's not too shimmery, even though it has some simmer to it, and just like Hourglass setting powder that I was talking about in this post, this bronzer is also free from Parabens.

These were definitely great addition to my makeup collection but will I repurchase them? __ probably not, because even though I really like both products, I also like to give a try to other products. 

Thanks for reading!

• January 17, 2021
• Beauty

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting powder and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer review

 

 Today I want to show you two new products that I had recently added to my everyday makeup routine: Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer. Let me start from the setting powder.

                                   Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder

This Hourglass translucent setting powder is an ultra-refined powder formulated with light-reflecting particles to blur imperfections. As the brand describes, Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting powder blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles for an airbrushed finish.

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting powder and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

It features an innovative gold sifter and custom cap which allow for the perfect amount of product to be dispensed. I've never had any issue with it so far. 

Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder 

You will appreciate the fact that this translucent setting powder doesn't contain talk, so because of that , it leaves an absolutely invisible finish , making it perfect for all skin tones. This powder is also formulated without Parabens.

It's very finely milled so it doesn't leave powdery look on my dry skin. I apply this Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder after my La Mer liquid foundation and it creates an amazing natural finish.

No let's move on to another product from Hourglass: Ambient Lighting Bronzer that I bought in travel size and I'm glad I did, because this bronzer will probably last me forever. 

                                     Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

This Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer fuses the illuminating effects of Ambient Lighting Powder with bronze pigments to add depth and dimension for a sun-kissed glow.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer 

The hand-made powders are formulated using an advanced miscelare technique to create the perfect balance of pigment and powder, and no two look alike. This bronzer can be worn alone for subtle warmth and contouring or paired with a setting powder.

I use the darker part of this bronzer as a bronzer, but the lighter part for highlighting, but you can simply use  it as a bronzer. 

I like the fact that it's not too shimmery, even though it has some simmer to it, and just like Hourglass setting powder that I was talking about in this post, this bronzer is also free from Parabens.

These were definitely great addition to my makeup collection but will I repurchase them? __ probably not, because even though I really like both products, I also like to give a try to other products. 

Thanks for reading!

Read more »

This year, due to pandemic, I'm all about outdoor activities,  and when I found out about The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze in Van Cortlandt, New York, while googling our next possible destination for the family fun, I knew we had to take this opportunity and visit it.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is an outdoor display of more then 7,000 illuminated jack o'lanterns (all designed and hand-carved on site) in New York state , and its equally beautiful and impressive in daylight as well as in night time. We purposely purchased the ticket for 5 P.M. so that we could see before sunset as well as after, and it turned out like the best decision. 

Things to know before visiting The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze:

• Tickets must be purchased online in advance so that you will get your time slot. As they explained timed ticketing help them maintain safe hourly visitor counts, so I've had no complains about that.
• You can get there 30 minutes before your time slot but you will not be able to park your car yet. There will be cars lined up outside of the property's parking lot, and as your time comes, your tickets will be scanned and you will be allowed to enter the event at the time on your ticket. 
• The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze experience lasts about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your pace.

• Photography and video recording for personal use are permitted, but they don't allow tripods or monopods.
• It's a one-way walk-through illuminated displays of 7,000 pumpkins.
• pets are not allowed
• Tickets are not refundable but they are exchangeable to another date/timeslot if that date/time is available , up to 72 hours in advance of your reserved time slot. There is a $2 per ticket exchange fee.
• Tickets cost $48 adult and $40 child (3-17)

Even though this event is not available this year anymore, you can visit it next year, since this is a yearly event. Just bookmark this post and check back next fall. 

Thanks for reading lovelies.

• December 07, 2020

Things to know before visiting The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, in Historical Hudson Valley, New York

This year, due to pandemic, I'm all about outdoor activities,  and when I found out about The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze in Van Cortlandt, New York, while googling our next possible destination for the family fun, I knew we had to take this opportunity and visit it.

The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze is an outdoor display of more then 7,000 illuminated jack o'lanterns (all designed and hand-carved on site) in New York state , and its equally beautiful and impressive in daylight as well as in night time. We purposely purchased the ticket for 5 P.M. so that we could see before sunset as well as after, and it turned out like the best decision. 

Things to know before visiting The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze:

• Tickets must be purchased online in advance so that you will get your time slot. As they explained timed ticketing help them maintain safe hourly visitor counts, so I've had no complains about that.
• You can get there 30 minutes before your time slot but you will not be able to park your car yet. There will be cars lined up outside of the property's parking lot, and as your time comes, your tickets will be scanned and you will be allowed to enter the event at the time on your ticket. 
• The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze experience lasts about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on your pace.

• Photography and video recording for personal use are permitted, but they don't allow tripods or monopods.
• It's a one-way walk-through illuminated displays of 7,000 pumpkins.
• pets are not allowed
• Tickets are not refundable but they are exchangeable to another date/timeslot if that date/time is available , up to 72 hours in advance of your reserved time slot. There is a $2 per ticket exchange fee.
• Tickets cost $48 adult and $40 child (3-17)

Even though this event is not available this year anymore, you can visit it next year, since this is a yearly event. Just bookmark this post and check back next fall. 

Thanks for reading lovelies.

Read more »

 In the age of Corona Virus, when you constantly worry about the safety of you and your family while planning your next weekend getaway or when you're just trying to figure out where to spend time in your local area, there are few places where you can still enjoy spending time safely and one of those places has to be a botanical garden, specifically New Jersey Botanical Garden (if you live in the area.)

New Jersey Botanical Garden, Fall 2020

New Jersey Botanical Garden, Fall 2020

NJ Botanical Garden

This beautiful property is located in Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, New Jersey. We visited this botanical garden on a sunny Saturday afternoon and even though it was totally spontaneous trip of 50 minute-drive, we enjoyed spending almost three hours there.

What can you do in New Jersey Botanical Garden:

• Stroll around the garden and enjoy the surrounding nature full of flowers and trees of different varieties and the Fall scenery (if you visit in Fall.)
• Bring your family or friends along and have a picnic here. You can enjoy spending time with them while social distancing.
• Go for a hike. One of the three parking lots has direct access to trails. That means that you can hike in Ringwood State Park (since this botanical garden is the part of it.)
• Take photos. Whether you want to have a professional photoshoot or just quick cellphone shots, this is a great place to capture your memories.

The only downside is that it was little tricky to navigate through the property due to lack of clear marking and direction. Because of that, we could not find couple of spots in the property that we wanted to see. We are planning to go back one of the weekends (if weather permits) and this time we will be well prepared how to get to certain parts of the property that we missed the first time. Overall, it was very nice spending time there, my 9 year old had a blast, anyways, haha.

How do you spend your weekends in this taught time? Let me know in the comments section. 

• November 16, 2020

Things to do in New Jersey Botanical Garden in Ringwood, NJ

 In the age of Corona Virus, when you constantly worry about the safety of you and your family while planning your next weekend getaway or when you're just trying to figure out where to spend time in your local area, there are few places where you can still enjoy spending time safely and one of those places has to be a botanical garden, specifically New Jersey Botanical Garden (if you live in the area.)

New Jersey Botanical Garden, Fall 2020

New Jersey Botanical Garden, Fall 2020

NJ Botanical Garden

This beautiful property is located in Ringwood State Park in Ringwood, New Jersey. We visited this botanical garden on a sunny Saturday afternoon and even though it was totally spontaneous trip of 50 minute-drive, we enjoyed spending almost three hours there.

What can you do in New Jersey Botanical Garden:

• Stroll around the garden and enjoy the surrounding nature full of flowers and trees of different varieties and the Fall scenery (if you visit in Fall.)
• Bring your family or friends along and have a picnic here. You can enjoy spending time with them while social distancing.
• Go for a hike. One of the three parking lots has direct access to trails. That means that you can hike in Ringwood State Park (since this botanical garden is the part of it.)
• Take photos. Whether you want to have a professional photoshoot or just quick cellphone shots, this is a great place to capture your memories.

The only downside is that it was little tricky to navigate through the property due to lack of clear marking and direction. Because of that, we could not find couple of spots in the property that we wanted to see. We are planning to go back one of the weekends (if weather permits) and this time we will be well prepared how to get to certain parts of the property that we missed the first time. Overall, it was very nice spending time there, my 9 year old had a blast, anyways, haha.

How do you spend your weekends in this taught time? Let me know in the comments section. 

Read more »