Trader Joe's Goes Greek

As much as I try to stay on schedule, there are mornings when I am running late or don't feel like making something, so I need something quick. What's my go to? Trader Joe's Greek yogurt. I have had other brands of Greek yogurt, but the Trader Joe's version seems to have more choices in the flavor department. The consistency is a bit thicker, creamier, and not as runny. It also seems that on a calorie comparison basis you get to eat more of the Greek yogurt than in the regular yogurt. Though I am not a medical professional (nor am I offering medical advice), I have heard that it is better for you than regular yogurt. I have never seen it in flavors other than some kind of fruit, plain, or with honey. I decided that I would give some of them and try. I ended up with blueberry, honey, pumpkin, and apricot mango. The honey was light and not overly sweet, with just a subtle honey note. (The traditional way is to eat it with honey.) The blueberry had real fruit in it and the pumpkin had a surprise spice flavor to it, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The apricot mango (was sadly not nonfat) also had fruit pieces and it definitely had a richer texture. The great thing about all these is that they don't taste at all artificial and make a great snack as well. So on your next trip to Trader Joe's make sure that you pick up some of their delicious Greek yogurt.

Stella

I fell in love with Italy when I went to visit and since then I seem to be drawn to all things Italian. While wandering around the wine aisles of Spec's, I happened to stumble on this Pinot Grigio called Stella and had to try it. I do enjoy Pinot Grigio, it had a precious name, and there were stars on the label...how could I nor try it? Luckily for me, this was a screw top wine, so I didn't have to mess with my wine opener. This wine was citrusy, crisp, and slightly acidic. There was a slight herbal aroma to it, and it was a surprisingly long finish for a white wine. Priced under $15, this is a great sipping wine that would go great with chicken, turkey, or salad. If you are looking for a great wine to try tonight, be sure to give this one a try.

Roots Juice

Growing up, I remember a time when meeting and hanging out with friends at Starbucks was the cool thing to do. Then all of a sudden Jamba Juice became really popular and that was the new hangout. However, soon I no longer had a favorite out of the two and instead made my decision between juice and coffee based on how I was feeling. When my friend told me about this great juice bar she knew of, I figured that it was worth a trip. We have been talking about it for a while, but finally made the trip to Roots Juice. This juice bar, which also offers smoothies, uses only fresh, local, and organic ingredients in their beverages. Be warned that these are not the traditional strawberry-banana type smoothies, but they are delicious. I tried the "Tangled Up in Blue", which was blueberries, bananas, dates, and almond milk. It had that fresh fruit sweetness to it, but there was also a bit of tartness. I have never had a date before (and though it wasn't the same thing as eating a date by itself), I found it to be pretty delicious. In conjunction with the juice bar, there is also an cute little cafe. We just went for smoothies, but while we were waiting they brought out a sample of their Bollywood pizza. It was absolutely delicious! It had spicy pepperoni, pineapple, onions, and a fantastic curry sauce. All I know is that I will be going back to try some more juices and food, so you should stop by and check it out for yourself.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Nothing says the holidays like the smell of peppermint wafting through the air. However, I am not really a big fan of eating just plain peppermint things, but when you combine it with chocolate, count me in! During one of my (now routine) visits to Trader Joe's, I found this peppermint hot chocolate. I mean even though its still about 80 degrees here, how could I pass up hot chocolate? I decided that some hot chocolate would be the perfect way to kick off my Christmas decorating. I patiently waited for the water to heat up and then added it to the mix. There was this magical aroma that began to fill the air and even though the weather wasn't at all festive for the holidays, the hot chocolate most definitely was. The peppermint hot chocolate had a nice peppermint note in the background. The chocolate wasn't too sweet and the two were like a heavenly match. If you are a fan of peppermint and hot chocolate, you need to give this a try. It's so much better than the hot chocolate packets. So if your like me and don't have appropriate hot chocolate weather, just have some anyways!

Peacock Perfection

This year I decided to do something completely different from the usual red and green theme for my wreath. I saw this absolutely gorgeous peacock tablescape and have been inspired to do something peacock themed. I went for it and decided to do a peacock themed wreath, so I headed to my go to craft store Hobby Lobby. I started with a plain green wreath and then found some glittery peacock feathers, sprays in bright cyan, electric blue, and greenish blue colors, and electric blue ornaments. So the challenge was making it all come together because it was touch and go at the beginning. The thing about wreaths is that you just have to start somewhere and just go for. For me, it will never turn out how I am expecting it to and that's okay.

I created a layer over the greenery with the electric blue glittery sprays I had. I filled in the gaps with the greenish blue sprays and added two of the peacock feathers at the top. For the finishing touches, I added three ornaments randomly and then filled in with the smaller sprays I had. It definitely was a little scary because when I first started it looked like a disaster. Fortunately, everything came together and I love it. It's unusual and I am proud that I got it to come together. This season don't be afraid to do something different and be inspired by the things you see. 

Pep in Your Step

There have been numerous times that I have walked into my closet and thought I have nothing to wear, but did have more than a few shoe options. The beauty of shoes is that you can change the entire look of an outfit just by changing the shoes. I am all about the shoes that pop and don't blend in with the crowd. However, there are certain times where it is not appropriate to wear wild shoes so please be sure to observe those situations. While browsing the DSW website looking for some festive party shoes, I stumbled on these hot pink beauties. They are eye catching but not too over the top. The bows on the front make them girly and playful with some added sparkle from the rhinestones. These are definitely the perfect holiday party shoe and I can't wait to wear them!