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/ Style

Cross body Bag with Interchangeable Straps

How often do you swap out your purse? It is fun to switch out a purse to match your outfit. However, what is not fun is transferring all the contents. Transferring items from one purse to another has often frustrated me because it is so time consuming. Most often, when I am wanting to swap purses I am running late and it becomes an inconvenience. I was recently looking for a new cross body bag when I came across this purse with interchangeable purse straps. To my surprise, I found that adding a new purse strap transitions it into more than one bag. Now, I feel compelled to share with you how easy it is to change the look of an everyday purse by simply changing the straps.

Cross body Bag with Interchangeable Straps

I instantly fell for this cross body bag with interchangeable straps. The bag itself is available in a variety of colors and prints. And there are plenty of colorful strap options also available!  Plenty of options to choose from!  #cross #body #purse #guitarstrap

I was enjoying the afternoon shopping with my daughter in law when I eyed this snakeskin cross body bag the minute we walked into a boutique. While I was contemplating buying it, my daughter in law informed me that it is remarkably similar to a popular and stylish Hermes bag that several celebrities are seen with. This was interesting, but not what convinced me to make my purchase. What I liked about this bag was that it was midsize and lightweight. It’s snakeskin pattern was attractive and would match easily with my fall wardrobe. On a side note, animal print is currently the hottest fashion trend in accessories right now. The snakeskin pattern is sold out however, there are still plenty of options online. There are also smaller styles available as well.

I instantly fell for this cross body bag with interchangeable straps. The bag itself is available in a variety of colors and prints. And there are plenty of colorful strap options also available!  Plenty of options to choose from!  #cross #body #purse #guitarstrap

While looking through the other selections, I came across this black version that was shown with a brown, ivory and tan strap. After swapping the purse strap to this bright red and gold metallic purse strap I was instantly sold! I know this look will take me right into the winter months.

I instantly fell for this cross body bag with interchangeable straps. The bag itself is available in a variety of colors and prints. And there are plenty of colorful strap options also available!  Plenty of options to choose from!  #cross #body #purse #guitarstrap
I instantly fell for this cross body bag with interchangeable straps. The bag itself is available in a variety of colors and prints. And there are plenty of colorful strap options also available!  Plenty of options to choose from!  #cross #body #purse #guitarstrap

If you know me, it should not surprise you that I have already been online looking for additional purse straps. I already have a leopard print purse strap, and there is a camo print purse strap that I will most likely adding to my cart. Interchangeable purse straps are fun to play around with. The best thing about this is that changing straps gives your purse a whole new look without ever having to empty your purse!  

/ Food

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious. #soup #dinner #Italian #recipe #dinner

Italian Wedding Soup is a traditional dish that many families have enjoyed for years. When I was younger, I thought it was popular because they served it at Italian weddings. However, it was only recently that I learned that it is called wedding soup because there is a marriage of flavors. That certainly makes more since doesn’t it? When you combine the flavors of the beef and pork from the meatballs, along with the egg and parmesan cheese, it creates a rich velvet like broth.

Recently, while staying with my grandchildren, I was looking for a weeknight meal that we both would enjoy. The soup is made with easy homemade meatballs and nice helping of greens. The perfect comforting soup recipe. I followed this recipe from Giada’s Italian Cookbook. I’ve added a few other ingredients that I found added to the flavor of the soup. 

Ingredients

I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious. #soup #dinner #Italian #recipe #dinner

{meatballs}

  • 1 small white onion grated
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped fine
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 1 large slice of bread torn into small pieces
  • A few dashes of ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • Approx. 8 ounces ground pork
  • Approx 8 ounces lean ground beef
I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious. #soup #dinner #Italian #recipe #dinner
I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious. #soup #dinner #Italian #recipe #dinner

{Broth}

  • 12 cups low sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1-pound curly endive (may substitute escarole or spinach)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon flour
  • 2 Tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • Salt & Pepper to taste (may need to adjust to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp thyme

Cooking Directions

Place the broth in a large pot over medium heat and bring to a low simmer.

Meanwhile mix the grated onion, minced garlic, grated cheese, chopped parsley, the pieces of torn bread and the egg.

Once mixed, add the beef and pork and finish mixing thoroughly. To form your meatballs, roll the meat mixture into small (walnut sized) meatballs. Place the formed meatballs on a cookie sheet until ready to cook. Cooking the meatballs in the broth is what gives your soup rich silky flavor.

Once completed, drop the meatballs into the simmering broth to cook. It’s important to add the meatballs all at once. The meatballs are cooked when they rise to the top. It does not take long (approximetely 8-10 minutes).

Now add your torn apart greens.

Next, in a small dish, whisk together the two eggs, the tablespoon of grated cheese and a teaspoon of flour. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the simmering broth and stir with a fork to form ribbons with the egg.  The egg will cook quickly. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with additional grated cheese.   

Serves approximately 6-8 people and it’s grandchild approved. For my grandchildren, I made a little pastina (tiny itty-bitty noodles) to add to their soup. Served with bread it certainly is delicious!

I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious.
I was looking for a warm hearty weeknight meal that we can all enjoy on a cool day. This recipe for Italian Wedding Soup is warm, simple and delicious.

/ Style

Ordering Glasses online with Eyebobs

I recently ordered a pair of prescription glasses and a pair of reading glasses online. I had never tried this, but now I am glad I did. My daughter has ordered glasses online and recommended that I try it and write a blog about my experience. For starters, it is a lot easier than I imagined. I had just recently had my annual eye exam when Eyebobs approached me to give their glasses a try. And, now I want to share my experience ordering glasses online with Eyebobs

Here's What It's Like To Order Glasses Online From Eyebobs. How to help find your perfect pair of glasses from the comfort of your home.

I’m very familiar with Eyebobs because I have worn their readers for almost fifteen years. I was first attracted to the brand because of the trendy styles of readers. They are fun, fancy, and not like the typical old-fashioned granny-looking readers. You could only find them sold in upscale department stores and boutiques then. Nordstrom has quite a few trendy pairs available. I ordered directly from the Eyebobs site

However, it is not just the look of Eyebobs that I want to be telling you about. The quality is exceptionally good. And now, after ordering online, I can tell you that I was also pleased with their customer service.

Easy Online Ordering Experience

I called my local eye doctor and asked if they could send me my prescription. She emailed it, which was helpful because I could download the prescription onto my order. When I went to the Eyebobs website, I found that they offer a step-by-step guide for an online eye exam. Since I did not need this portion, I just downloaded my prescription and went right to the fun part, finding the right pair! Truth be told, this was time-consuming for me because there are so many fun-looking styles to choose from. The names are unique too. I made sure I looked at each frame before I made my selection. Almost all of their frames can be made into prescription glasses or readers. They also sell prescription sunglasses and regular sunglasses.

Here's What It's Like To Order Glasses Online From Eyebobs. How to help find your perfect pair of glasses from the comfort of your home.
Here's What It's Like Ordering Glasses Online From Eyebobs. How to help find your perfect pair of glasses from the comfort of your home.

Once I placed the order, the prescription glasses took about two and a half weeks to arrive. My readers came within a week. After receiving them, I was excited to give them a try.

Though Eyebobs did gift me the glasses, I recommend you try them. After wearing their readers for years, I am familiar with their quality. Of course, how long I will have them is questionable because I’m forever misplacing them or leaving them behind.

Your Discount Code for Eyebobs

I wish I could help offer advice on how not to lose your glasses, but I can now offer you this discount code to save money.   

If you want to try Eyebobs, use code TwoDrinkMinimum10 for 10% off your order at Eyebobs.

Cheers!

Read:>> Fall Wardrobe Essentials Checklist.

/ Let's Have a Drink

Hello, Siri?

Hello, Siri? What search engine assistant do you use? The other day, I found myself going in circles trying to find my way back to my son’s home after getting lost while on a walk. What happened next was was uplifting and I decided to put it into words.

Last week, on a beautiful fall day while visiting my son, I decided to take a walk. However, I was also on the phone with my friend Jana while walking. And, unfortunately as a result, I got lost. I had turned down a side street because the main street I had taken was noisy and I could not hear her talk.

Hello, Siri?

Once I realized I could not navigate myself back to my son’s house I looked down at my phone. It was then that I took my phone and asked “Hello, Siri? Can you get me directions to…” That is when I heard nearby church bells ringing. I started thinking, how often do people rely on Siri to find their way? Many of us trust the answers we receive from Siri without hesitation. It is funny how we trust an artificial intelligence aka “AI” that we’ve never met.

My Siri is a woman that speaks Australian. I find it amusing that you can pick a gender and a language of preference. Regardless, I have often used Siri to assist me with information.

What if we reached out to God as often as we do Siri? When you feel lost how often do you look up? God is always there, guiding us along our journey, navigating every step we take. He is easily accessible, and always available for answers we seek,

Eventually I was able to get back to my son’s home with guidance, but the that is not what inspired me on that day. It was the church bells ringing that allowed me to acknowledge my true way maker.       

/ Beauty

My Review of Tatcha Rice Wash & Skin Cream

My Review of Tatcha Rice Wash & Skin Cream

Cooler weather is approaching, which means it is time to change up your skincare regime. I find that when the temperature changes, I need to change up my products. In the cooler months my skin needs extra attention so, I make adaptions to my regular beauty routine. My skin type is dry, and winter time causes even more dryness. It probably doesn’t help that during the cold winter months I tend to take long hot showers. And, I tend to fall behind in drinking enough water. Even with a humidifier running in our home, my skin still becomes itchy and dry.  

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out a few products from TATCHA skin care. I was particularly excited to try their dewy moisturizer. And now, after 3 weeks of regular use, I am sharing my full review below. Of course the pure and natural ingredients are also a bonus!

Inspired by the beauty of a modern day Geisha, Vicky Tsai a Wellesley College graduate with a Harvard MBA, set out to create a skincare brand that honors the rituals and practices of Japan’s iconic beauty elite. Tsai, who had long battled dermatitis, had been on a journey to discover and develop a more evolved approach to skincare. One of the beauty secrets she learned while studying Japanese culture was how women used the milky water obtained from rinsing rice after cooking on their skin. Doing so left their skin feeling dewy and soft.

Tatcha, is a clean beauty brand made with superfoods that are often found in the Japanese diet, such as green tea, algae, seaweed, and rice bran.

While Vicky declines to divulge all of the secrets she collected from the Geisha beauty practices, she does share one tip, “Of all the Geishas I met—from 20 years old to 80 years old—the one with the best skin enjoyed a bit of sake.” Bottoms up, ladies (via Violet Grey)

Two Steps to Dewy Skin

I first tried the Rice Wash Soft Creamy Cleanser. The cleanser is gentle enough to use twice daily yet still effective in washing away your skin’s impurities. It contains hyaluronic acid which helps to boost hydration and of course rice powder. It is a gentle foaming cleanser which, I’ll admit concerned me with having dry skin. However, after only a few days into using it I found that my skin had a healthy natural glow.

Next, I tried is the Dewy Skin Cream for normal to dry skin. This rich textured moisturizer contains antioxidants and Japanese purple rice. The subtle smell is clean and fresh. I have now been using the cream daily for a of couple weeks. After applying it at night in place of my regular night cream, I found that my skin still felt hydrated when I woke up in the morning. Right now, I cannot decide if I prefer to use the cream as a night time or daytime moisturizer, but I am pleased with the way it leaves my skin feeling. The dewy skin cream does not contain sun protection. With that, I make sure to apply a tinted moisturizer with an SPF when heading outdoors.

When applying any face cream on to your skin, you will want to make sure you message on to your face using upward strokes. Taking time to message your face cream into your skin not only feels good but it also activates the circulation. And it penetrates better, giving you the full benefit of your moisturizer and serum. I honestly feel that this moisturizer is worth every penny and I will reorder when the time comes.

/ Style

Fall Wardrobe Essentials Checklist

Fall Wardrobe Essentials Checklist
Purse// Purse Strap //Black Jeans (similar)

Behind every great wardrobe is a well thought out plan. So, to help you prepare for the new season, let’s get a fall wardrobe essentials checklist together! After all, learning how to incorporate key pieces in our wardrobe will allow us to create several different styles. And once you’ve finalized your basics and go-to key pieces, you’ll ease into the fall season looking tres chic. Keep reading for the best jeans, sweaters, and layers you’ll want to wear all season long. 

Fall Wardrobe Essentials Checklist

A Perfect Pair of Pants

First, you will want to include a great, flattering pair of pants. Reach for some dark high-waisted denim and some flattering faux leather leggings. You’ll want to wear them all fall and winter — and it’s wise to purchase a quality product that won’t lose shape. As for denim, you can dress up your denim with embellished sweaters, faux leather tops, suede button-downs, or a luxurious blouse. 

Layer-Friendly Outerwear

Fall allows us the opportunity to wear jackets more for fashion rather than warmth. You can also have a little fun with outerwear before the chill of winter sets in. Be on the lookout for lightweight camel coats and tapered blazers. Blazers come in all shapes and they will be a fabulous addition to your fall wardrobe! A camel coat is a neutral topper that you can wear with anything from a black dress for evenings out, or with jeans and a flannel shirt for a trendier everyday look.

Cozy Sweaters

Gray and camel-colored sweaters are safe choices. However, you can also have fun with animal print, stripes, and the latest color-blocked versions. A comfortable sweater paired with leather leggings or dark denim is an easy go-to outfit. Something you can throw on and head out the door by layering underneath your blazer or camel coat. 

An On-Trend Midi Dress

Having at least one midi dress in your closet will offer some variety with your fall style. I like dark patterns and have recently purchased this dress to wear for the upcoming season. Dark floral patterns, stripes, solids, and chambray versions offer excellent layering options. In fact, if you find a flattering wrap style, you can wear both as a dress or layer under a long-sleeved t-shirt and leggings.

A Well-Made Handbag

Invest in a well-made handbag it will last for years. With all that we need to carry around these days, sanitizer, cell phone, masks, etc., mid-sized bags are a sensible choice. Brightly colored bags are fun, but neutral and brown tones are more timeless and will take you through years of use. Also, opting for a timeless shape and shade will also allow you to have more fun with a detachable patterned purse strap. I have been having fun with this calf hair leopard purse strap. It’s detachable so you can swap it out to match your outfit.

These Fall Wardrobe Essentials will ease you into the new season with a current yet classic vibe. You’ll find they are a worth while purchase as they will become the foundation to your fall wardrobe for years to come.