Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Yellowstone National Park | Trip Recap (Where to Stay, Eat, & Explore)

Hi lovely reader! Over the summer I visited Yellowstone National Park for the first time. As a typical beach vacationer a trip of this type was completely new to me and there was a certain level of going in blind that came with it. I relied a lot on watching people's vlogs and reading their blog posts so I wanted to share a quick recap of my own learnings to hopefully help anyone else in the same boat. (this post and the links included are not in any way sponsored or affiliated with Yellowstone National Park) 


Where to Stay: Canyon Lodge - As you'll see on this map, it's centrally located between the two main loops within the park, the rooms are quaint, clean, and the beds were comfortable which is all you want after being out all day. 


Where to Eat: I say this with all respect to the park and the people who work at the food spots (who were all SO nice), Yellowstone is somewhere you go for the nature/views and not for the food. The food situation was honestly the only shock or negative experience of the trip. Canyon Lodge has a couple of food options that I would equate to college dining halls, plastic trays, go down the line and pick what you want. There are a few spots with restaurant, waiter to table service including Old Faithful Inn, Roosevelt Lodge (it was giving Camp Walden vibes from the Parent Trap) and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel. The saving grace and real winner of the food situation though was the huckleberry ice cream. Canyon Lodge has an ice cream shop and their huckleberry ice cream is swirled with huckleberry jam, absolutely delicious. 10/10 would recommend.


What to Explore: We did the North loop one day and the Southern Loop in two parts for two days. A few of my favorite spots that we saw were the Grand Canyon Yellowstone and Inspiration Point, Artists Cove (this was my favorite view of the trip), Gibbons Falls, Grand Prismatic Springs and Lamar Valley.


What to Pack: All the climate options, while this really depends on what time of year you go, having options and layers is key. We were wearing winter coats in the morning some days and t-shirts by the afternoon. I also would highly recommend a pair of binoculars, I rolled my eyes at this one initially thinking my camera would be enough (also would highly recommend a camera and not just using your phone for photos) but there were some animals we saw so far in the distance, they wouldn't have shown up otherwise.

All in all it was a great trip and I would highly recommend anyone check it out! Everywhere you look is like a painting, unreal colors and natural wonders! 


Sunday, May 30, 2021

Summer Sweets | No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream

Hi lovely reader! Happy Memorial Day weekend! Hope you are having a great weekend and celebrating the kickoff to summer in some way. Today's recipe is simple, delicious and totally customizable. I found this recipe on the Food Network Kitchen App and it turned out great so I wanted to share. As you can tell from the title, the great thing about this ice cream recipe is that you do not need an ice cream maker! Just a 9x5x3 metal pan or a similar size to freeze the ice cream in. I also posted a reels video over on my instagram if you want to see the process!


No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients

-1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

-a pinch of fine salt

-2 cups of cold heavy cream

-1 9x5x3 inch chilled metal loaf pan

To make the ice cream,

Whisk together the condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and then set aside.

Whip the cream with a mixer (I chilled my mixing bowl before starting) on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, around 2 minutes. Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream in the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined and then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended. Then pour into a chilled 9x5x3 inch metal loaf pan and freeze, covered, until thick and creamy, like soft serve, around 2 hours. Swirl in any desired mix-ins with a spoon. Place back in the freezer, covered, until solid and scoopable, about 3 more hours.

Enjoy!

Saturday, May 22, 2021

Summer Reading 2021 - 10 Books that Aren't Brand New but Worth a Read

Hi lovely reader! Happy Saturday! As you can tell from the title of this post, I wanted to put together a list of some of my favorite books for those of you looking for ideas of what to read this summer. I also focussed on books that aren't necessarily brand new in the hopes that they are easier to get a hold of. I often find that as people start releasing their must reads for the summer months the books are newer and on so many people's lists that they become impossible to get! So have a scroll and hopefully you'll find something you might like!

For the person who is all about that Personal Growth,

For the person who loves a bit of Christmas in July,

For the person who loves a good heart warmer,


For the person who loves a book that makes you think,

For the person who believes "Young Adult Novels" aren't just for young adults,

Giving this book honorable mention because apparently it is all over TikTok so it may be harder to get but it is def worth the read! I read it right after it came out in 2014 and it is still one of my favorite books!


What are you reading this summer? Xx

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Drunk Elephant "The Littles" - An Honest & Unsponsored Review

Hi lovely reader! Hope you are staying safe and doing well! I've been wanting to write today's post for a while but thought it would be best and most helpful to wait and truly have used these products for some time before giving my feedback. I received Drunk Elephant's "The Littles" set for Christmas and have been using them consistently ever since which has given me a good grasp on how my skin reacts tot these products, what works and what doesn't and how long they last. As with most things beauty related I love to do my research before purchasing especially when it involves spending a bit more money, so I hope this post is helpful to anyone thinking about buying this set or any of these products individually! I have also provided links to the products but please not they are not affiliated (this post is not sponsored in any way)

To start I also want to note my skin type as everyone is different and it definitely has an impact on how certain products work with you. I have a very oily t-zone, and deal with blackheads on my nose. My forehead I would say is the least sensitive part of my face and my chin is definitely the most sensitive. So if you can relate to any of that you may have a similar experience with these products.


Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser: I use a pea sized amount of this cleanser in the morning and at night. It definitely makes my skin feel fresh and clean and cleared the layer of oil or makeup residue from the day. The nice thing I've found about this cleanser is that a little goes a long way so even the sample size in this kit has lasted me about 4 months. I would recommend this product if you are looking for a gentle yet effect daily cleanser.

C-Firma Day Serum: Of the 8 products in this set, this one definitely surprised me the most! I was a little weary starting out how my skin would react to this, especially my chin area but I did not have any issues. This serum is where I saw a noticeable difference in my skin, I definitely am on the paler side (not mad about it) but using this daily has improved the pigmentation of my skin. Not to say it's made me a bronzed goddess but I can see a visible difference 5 months in with my skin looking brighter. It has also helped even out areas where I have had redness from breakouts in the past. I like to put a pump of the B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum and a pump of this serum in my hands, mix them and then apply to my face in the mornings. Like I said before I have been using this since the end of December and this sample size has still not run out.

B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum: This serum is really nice especially as it has started to get warmer because it is super hydrating but extremely light weight. As someone with oily skin I wasn't exactly sure how intensive hydration would work but it has actually helped combat the oiliness. I think by using this in the morning and having that hydration, my t-zone doesn't produce as much oil as before which has been nice. It definitely hasn't cured the oiliness but it does help to slow down and I don't shine as quickly as I used to, especially if I'm not wearing makeup.

T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum: This is one of my favorite products in the set! I use it at night after I have exfoliated and apply a thin layer all over my face. It just leaves your skin feeling fresh and also helps combat oiliness which is great. I apply a layer of moisturizer on top once it has set and am ready for bed! 

C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream: This eye cream really is amazing and I am saying that in all honesty. The texture is great and you can really feel the hydration. I can also notice a difference in the feeling of my skin if I don't use it. I had gotten samples of this last year from Sephora when trying to find an eye cream and I loved it so I was excited to have a larger and longer lasting amount of product to use. I tend to use it more in the morning than at night but you could really use it both or either.

Umbra Sheer Physical Daily Defense SPF 30: One of the first concerns I had when checking out the products in this kit was that the moisturizer didn't have sunscreen to it. I am a big believer in wearing some sort of SPF during the day whether you're out in the sun or not. Especially if you're sitting in front of a computer all day or in your car a lot! So when I saw they had a sunscreen I was like okay let's give this a go, we'll just add another layer. I haven't gotten to give this a proper beach or "day at the pool" go but for everyday it's great. Like everything else it is super light, dries really easily and doesn't leave a greasy feeling like so many other sunscreens. 

Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil: This facial oil is by far the cutest "little" in the set. It has a tiny glass dropper and like all Drunk Elephant products, the packaging is super chic. However I am sad to say that this product is the one (and really only one) where my skin was not having it. It's not like I can't use it at all but around my chin area (which is the most sensitive) it has caused me some small breakouts (nothing huge or super dramatic) but I think applying direct oils to my face just doesn't work for my skin type. I could see how this could be really nice though it you do deal with dry skin or dry areas.

Protini Polypeptide Cream: Last but not least this lovely luxurious moisturizer. It's light, creamy, not greasy at all and hydrating. It feels really nice to apply and my favorite part is how quickly it sets into my skin. It absorbs almost immediately so there is no residue or greasy feeling. 


Of the 8 products my top 3 that I would say would be worth the full size splurge would be the Protini Polypeptide Cream, C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, and the C-Firma Day Serum. The nice thing about all of these products is that a little goes a long way and I have noticed visible improvements in using them regularly!

I hope those notes were helpful to you if you are considering purchasing the set or any of the products individually. Would love to hear your experience with them as well and what your favorites are. XX