Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the powerpress domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6114 Lifestyle – Page 30 – A Double Dose
Not to worry, you still have over a week to get your mom a thoughtful gift for Mother’s Day. Not going to lie, Sam and I struggle each year with trying to come up with something my mom doesn’t already have/says she doesn’t want anything. Well, how can you not get your mom anything for Mother’s Day?!
Even if she says she doesn’t want anything, we still always get her at least a card and flowers. She is one of the most important people in our lives and such a role model for us. If you all don’t know already, we are SUPER close with her. She is really there for us ANY time of the day, no matter what. I honestly hope to be half the mom she is one day. Anyways, enough with the cheesy writing for this post, haha.
When I was putting stuff together for this post, I tried picking out stuff that I knew mom’s (our yourself) would love and actually use! Who wants to get a gift that 1. isn’t really that thoughtful, and 2. will just get thrown in the pile of stuff you never will use!
I actually own some of these items, and if I don’t I picked them out for a good reason! I have this David Yurman ring and this Michele Deco watch. I LOVE them both for so many reasons, but I will say that I have had both pieces for over 4 years and wear them every single day. I get a ton of compliments on both pieces, so they are SO worth the investment!
If you’re looking for less of an investment piece, I have this Kate Spade ‘Walk On Air’ perfume and this hot pink S’well bottle. The perfume smells amazing, and the bottle keeps our water or drink super cold all day long! Plus, how cute is the bottle?
I love that this gold necklace has a heart, but is also personalized and has an initial! Another fun item is this phone case! I love it because my mom always says that line and it would be perfect for her!
How adorable is this hot pink longchamp bag? I have it in a lighter pink and it is so durable. I used to really pack it full for traveling, the beach, errands, etc. and it still has not ripped!
Here are some more finds that didn’t fit in the collage above [click items to shop directly!]:
Also, we thought this article was interesting about the technique of using conditioner before shampoo!
We had such an amazing time at the Four Season Westlake Village two weeks ago! It is located about an hour outside of Los Angeles, and it is seriously set in the most gorgeous location. Think tons of green, beautifully manicured lawns and flowers, and gorgeous hills in the background. We literally couldn’t stop staring at the views!When we first arrived, we were greeted by the super friendly staff! Every single person we interacted with during our stay was super sweet and always eager to help. For us, that makes all the difference when we are staying somewhere. Nobody wants to be greeted with an attitude, especially on vacation.
Look at how gorgeous these flowers are in the entry!We took our luggage up to the room, and were both instantly obsessed! On the table was the most delicious crudité and bottled waters! If you know us, there’s never a time that we aren’t hungry, so having these veggies to munch on was perfect! How delicious do these veggies look?!
The room was super spacious and had a pretty big flat screen for a hotel, which we loved! We were pleased we could catch up on some Grey’s Anatomy that evening. It also had the most light we have ever seen in a hotel room. Normally, they’re super dark, and you can forget about having any kind of light after the sun goes down. Not this one! It had a gorgeous chandelier, and it provided so much light. Now, moving on the bathroom- AMAZING! We were so in love, I think that was the first thing I snapped. It was super spacious and had a separate shower, which I love! It also had a bathtub, AND a T.V. in the bathroom. We were all over that for obvious reasons!
Each room is provided with water bottles, as well as a coffee machine for those of us that need our caffeine fix. They also have turn down service, and L’Occitane body products, which we love!
Then, we met with the beautiful Morgan and had the most amazing lunch at The Lookout with most gorgeous view. We sat outside overlooking this beautiful green scenery and waterfall, and the weather was perfect! This would have been amazing on any day, but given that we had just come from tons of rain, we were on cloud 9!{Striped Button Down | Black Shorts | Similar Wedges Here | Sunglasses [use code DOUBLEDOSEBLOG for your 1st month free]}
Love those letters! This is what they look like lit up at night.Check out that amazing view from where we ate!When the menu came, it was hard to decide what to order. Normally, this is because we have to change half of the menu and ‘create’ our own item, but this time was only because there were so many option to choose from that we would actually eat! The hotel focuses on wellness and they even have specific menu items that fall within 400-500 calories and focus on wellness, longevity, and sustainability. So cool, right?
We started off with the hummus as an appetizer, which was amazing! It is served with pita bread, and normally we ask the waiter or waitress if we could have some veggies with it as well, but this time, the waitress asked us without us even having to prompt her! We were like kids in a candy store! For our entrees, Alexis got the Sustainable Salmon Salad, and I got the Turkey Burger. The waitress asked if I wanted it wrapped in lettuce after I said I wanted it bun-less, which I loved! It was just refreshing to be somewhere where I didn’t look like a nut ordering!After our lunch, we explored the amazing property. We first checked out The Tasting Room, where they offer locally produced wines. Then, we took a look at The Wellness Kitchen that they have within the hotel. With as much time as we spend in our own kitchen, we were obsessed with it! Literally, our dream kitchen!Check out the super cute lights again! We were obsessed! Loved the chairs and floor, too!It had top of the line equipment, and right off of it, they have a beautiful dining room, as well as a wellness patio, where seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, squash are grown and used during the interactive cooking classes and demonstrations held by a Registered Dietition-Chef.
One of the cool events they have is Farm To Fork, where they have a cooking demo that features fresh farm-to-fork dishes that are local, healthy, and sustainable, followed by a communal dining experience filled with delicious food and conversations. They just had one that featured Aroha New Zealand Cusine, and have some others coming up in April, May, and June. They offer Wine Wednesday classes where they partner with wineries throughout California to pair wines with healthy tapa style dishes.Attached to the hotel is the California Health & Longevity Institute. You have probably heard about it if you’ve watched Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. We kept wondering why the kitchen and signage, and even the gym looked familiar to us–that’s why! It was cool to see it in person! After that, we headed over to the spa. They have the largest spa out of all the Four Seasons Hotels all over the world. Needless to say, it is HUGE and absolutely beautiful. They have tranquil waterfalls and comfy beds within the spa, and they have the gorgeous outdoor adult pool with outdoor cabanas you can rent that is right off the spa. We were super sad we didn’t have time to enjoy it in our swimsuit! This was taken right before it poured. It was a gorgeous morning and then the dark clouds started rolling in!Before we each had our massages, we had time to enjoy our Luxury Spa Suite, which was gigantic and super nice! It had a bed to relax on, a shower that was the size of another room (not kidding!), massage tables, and then a super cute patio with a small pool and lawn chairs. They also had a fruit and cheese and cracker plate, as well as some ice and sparkling water. We were in heaven! This suite would be perfect for a girls getaway or even a romantic trip since you have a ton of space of privacy. How cute is this private pool? Then it was time for our 50 minute Swedish massage, which was literally the best massage I have ever had! The masseuse did tell me I had tons of knots in my back and neck (yikes!) and she even suggested ways to help combat them.
After our massages, we headed to dinner at Lure Fish House. We had plans to go to Malibu that night but decided to walk to dinner since it was already so late. It ended up working out perfectly because we are now obsessed with that restaurant! We loved that this shopping center was walking distance, so you could easily hop over there and enjoy some of the restaurants if you wanted to without any hassles. The hotel also offers complimentary drop offs and pick ups with their house car, if you had to go a little further in the shopping center or you preferred to drive.
The next morning, we got up and went to the gym. We knew this hotel focused on wellness, so we assumed it would be a better gym when it came to equipment compared to an ordinary hotel gym, but we were definitely not expecting their gym! It was incredible! They had every piece of equipment you could imagine and had tons of cardio machines as well.They also offer complimentary cycling classes and yoga, and body sculpt classes. Additionally, they have various fitness assessments they can perform. Directly off the gym, is a super nice indoor pool as well. They even have complimentary apples, coffee, and teas located outside the gym for us, addicts!After we got ready for the day, we headed down to the Lobby Lounge for breakfast. Again, the menu had so many delicious choices, it was hard to decide! I wanted one of everything! They had tons of choices ranging from delicious smoothies, waffles (yes please!) and Brioche French Toast, Steel Cut Oatmeal, Breakfast Wraps, etc.For the table, we got the Seasonal Fruit Plate, Three Egg Omelet (make your own), Egg White Frittata without the cheese, and a Kale, Mango, Apple, Flax Smoothie (so good!). We also got lots of black coffee and hot water and lemon (our usuals). All of it was incredible! The staff was so sweet and accommodating, and they even had gluten-free toast for us! After enjoying our breakfast, we had our Life Balance Consultation with Dr. Ilana Kukoff. It’s hard to describe what she does and what the consolation is about, but to sum it up in one word: priceless. She genuinely offers great advice and takeaways that anyone can apply to their lives based on their personal issues. We highly recommend partaking in this consultation!
After that, we toured the property some more. We walked past the outdoor pool and into the Asian gardens and greenhouse. The grounds were so green and gorgeous! Of course, we took a million pictures!{Striped Tee | White Shorts | Lace Up Flats | Sunglasses }
On our way out, we enjoyed a coffee at Stir. We couldn’t decide what we loved more: the super adorable decor or the amazing Stumptown coffee! Seriously, this is so our style of decor, so we just wanted to hang out there all day. They also serve some snacks, pastries, and our absolute favorite, gelato! This cookbook is written by Paulette Lambert, the Director of Nutrition at the California Health & Longevity Institute. You may have seen on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, Dr. Oz, etc. Just look at that tile and furniture! LOVE! Westlake Village was such a beautiful area! We definitely plan on returning. If you’re planning a trip and you want a sophisticated hotel, or you’re looking for a hotel that offers wellness experiences, we would definitely suggest staying at the Four Seasons Westlake Village. Not only will you experience a luxurious stay, accommodating staff, delicious food, and beautiful scenery, but you will feel so relaxed and refreshed!
After living in our house for over two and a half years, I think it was time to get some artwork on the walls, don’t you think? We had hung up some artwork in other areas of our house, but the area we spent the most time in (where the couch is) had no artwork. If you’re wondering if we do most of our work from the couch, you are absolutely right. And, no, it’s not because we don’t have a desk. That would be the logical thing to do, but not us. We choose to strain our necks and back just so we can work on the comfy couch while having the TV on in the background, specifically Ellen 😉
We found out about Minted, which is an online marketplace that connects you with independent artists from all over the world. Minted sources its pieces through ongoing art competitions. They have all sorts of artwork ranging from stationary to prints to fabric. We had such a hard time deciding what to even pick out because there were tons of prints. We probably spent hours looking each page, when we finally decided on this longhorn print. As UT alumni we had to pick this one! We ordered it framed in the white wood frame and absolutely love it!{ Longhorn print-c/o | Glass Coffee Table | Mirrored Tray Similar Here | Acrylic Candle Holders | Flameless Candles | Silver Ball Decor Piece Similar Here | Wood Coasters Similar Here | Studded Chair}
From top left: { 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 }We also got a new coffee table, which was super overdue. And this studded chair. We already had a couch, but when it was more than just Samantha and I hanging out, we had to sit on the floor, which isn’t exactly comfy. We actually ended up loving the chair after we got used to it and the price is so reasonable!
Actually, funny story about the coffee table: Samantha and I had put it together, which really wasn’t too tough. We set it all up, and were really happy with it. Then, about a week later our mom came into town, and let us know that she thought our table was great, but that it was upside down. SO embarrassing. Of course, at first, we argued with her and told her it was the right way and that we had read and followed the instructions. I told her that if she was wrong she needed to put it back the way she found it. Of course, she was right, and flipped the coffee table over, and I have to say, it looked way better. That’s what moms are for, right?
You all know we are MAJOR foodies, so we are constantly on Yelp or other apps to find new, fun places to eat! Having lived in Dallas for over two years now, we have gotten a chance to try a ton of restaurants and find places that we go to on the regular. We thought we would share a quick little list of the restaurants we love and what our favorite dishes are to get there!
We know when we are traveling or visiting a new place, we always try to find all the best local places, so if you’re ever in Dallas or if you’re from Dallas, we hope this will help you find some new places to try out (or some new dishes!)
We eat here at least once a week (yes, we are that obsessed) and if you have seen our Instagram pages, you know how much we eat when we go here.
They have a HUGE buffet that is a veggie lover’s dream. They have tons of fresh salads, roasted vegetables, hummus, babaghanoush, soups, and other warm dishes- YUM!
They also have a ton of meat options (kabobs, roasted chicken, lamb, shwarma, etc.)
Our favorite thing to get is the “Cedar’s Special” which is the buffet + a meat dish. We almost always get the roasted chicken, which is SO good. We have also tried the chicken kabobs and salmon kabobs, which were also delicious!
Every time we bring someone new to this place, they fall in love with it, too!
We love this restaurant for Mexican food! Although we don’t usually eat the “typical” Mexican food like enchiladas, tacos, etc, We LOVE their fajitas and their salmon. They are extremely accommodating when it comes to food allergies like gluten and dairy, which is so helpful!
We started eating at this place at their first location in Austin when we lived there. They have a ton of burgers to choose from including turkey, ahi, salmon, bison, veggie, and tons more. We have tried a lot of them and they’re all incredible. They also have amazing shakes and fries!
We usually order the bison or classic burger, add a fried egg on top, and get it wrapped in lettuce. They also have really good gluten-free buns, if you have a gluten allergy!
Oh, and they have a delicious salad that has watermelon, arugula, and avocado! SO good!
This is also a Mexican/Latin restaurant. Again, although we don’t order the “typical” Mexican food, we LOVE their “Salmon de Coco” which is salmon with fresh vegetables and coconut rice. It is SO good! They also have really good Carne Asada.
This is another major favorite of ours! They see a ton of paleo-friendly options and have an awesome rooftop. We haven’t had a chance to try their cocktails, but we have heard they’re really good.
Our favorite thing to get there are the “create your own bowls” where you get to choose a protein/meat, two sides, and a sauce. We usually get steak with roasted brussel sprouts and parsnips, add an egg, and get guacamole on the side. Trust us, it is delicious! They also have a really good hummus appetizer and tons of other amazing dishes. You really can’t go wrong here!
Oh, and their desserts are SO good! They have several amazing ones, but our favorite is the flourless chocolate cake topped with coconut milk ice cream- aka heaven! They also have this chocolate kettle bell. Isn’t that so fun?!
We love all of these places because they are a build-your-own salad bar and they have TONS of options to add in. I think I choose almost every veggie they have, but thats what is so great about them- no measly salads here!
We don’t even need to go into detail here because we are pretty sure everyone knows about this one. Our favorite thing to get is the salad bowl with barbacoa, chicken, sautéed peppers and onions, corn salsa, and of course, guacamole and salsa! We don’t use the dressing that it comes with because with the salsa and guac, that is enough of a dressing for us!
This is another one we don’t really have to go into detail about. If you have ever been to a Whole Foods bar, you know why it is so amazing! Our favorite location to eat at is the Whole Foods off of Park Lane. This one is pretty big and has a ton of options to choose from. We try to stay away from here (except when our parents are visiting) because we cannot control how much we put in our brown boxes and end up spending $30 on a salad!
This place I found out about when I worked at Ernst & Young. We went there on a team lunch, and at first, I’ll be honest- when I found out we were going to a sushi buffet, I was a little grossed out, but when we got there, and I saw the options, I changed my mind. They had a ton of sushi rolls, sashimi, kabocha squash (my FAVE), seaweed salad, etc. They also have tempura and stuff like that. It is not the prettiest scenery, I will warn you 😉
This is one of those 24/7 places, but it is much better than IHOP in my opinion. They have a ton of options other than just breakfast foods, but my favorite thing to order there is the “Californiacation” which is an egg-white omelette with veggies and a side of fruit or potatoes. They also have AMAZING pancakes, but they don’t have any that are gluten-free or “healthier” if that is what you’re looking for!
This is another Mexican restaurant, but again, they have great fish and meat. Our favorite thing to get there is the fresh fish of the day or the Carne Asada which is served with sautéed tomatoes and onions. It come with rice and beans, but I usually will just ask for extra veggies instead.
This place is a great lunch or casual grab-and-go. They have a ton of salads, sandwiches, and that sort of thing, but our favorite thing to get is the half roasted chicken. You get to pick two sides so we usually get steamed green beans and broccoli. They also have a condiment bar with pickles, olives, jalapeños, pickled carrots, garlic, hot sauce, mustard, etc. I load up on these (sometimes a little too much to where I get heartburn ;)) Oh, and if you have a dairy allergy, they are super accommodating and can make it without butter.
We used to frequent this place in college a lot. It is a really cool place because its a build-your-own sandwich bar. You fill out what you want on paper bags and then they build your sandwich specific to what you ordered. I usually get the “lettucewhich” which is a sandwich wrapped in lettuce. I like to get the turkey and load up on all the veggies! They also have bowl, normal sandwiches (their bread is amazing!), shakes, and cookies. Their shakes and cookies are to die for, too! I haven’t had one since college, but trust me, they’re good!
Another cool thing about them is that you can have them scoop out the bread so that you really are just eating the outer part of the bread and cutting down on some of the carbs without sacrificing the bread. Pretty cool, right?
This restaurant is such a cool place! They have them in Arizona, California, and Denver, I believe! Almost everything on their menu is super healthy, which we love! They have great salads and appetizers like hummus with veggies and pita for dipping. Their entrees are also great! We love their baked spaghetti squash, the salmon dish, and their bison burger which comes with sweet potatoes and a kale salad. We have also heard that the curry is good and that their green drinks and cocktails are also super refreshing!
This place is ALWAYS packed, especially in the summertime! They have all sorts of popsicles and its actually right next to HG Sply Co on Greenville. They have a bunch of “fruity” popsicles like watermelon, but they also have other sweet ones like pumpkin, coffee, etc. Don’t miss out on these!
Whether you’ve had gelato or not, you need to try this place! It took us right back to being in Italy. We don’t have ice cream or gelato very often because of the dairy, but once in a while we will treat ourselves to some. We definitely sample more than a few flavors before making our final decision of what to order, but our favorite flavor is pistachio or something with chocolate in it, duh!
If you all have any other recommendations that we didn’t mention or you don’t think we have heard of, we are always open to finding out about new places!
If you’ve been following us a while, you know that we are not huge drinkers. We do like the occasional glass of wine or Sangria, especially when we are entertaining!
Our favorite white wines are the Brancott Estate Flight Song wines! Both their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio wines are 20% lower in calories than regular wines. Before, you start thinking the taste is sacrificed because of that, I’ll stop you right now and say they both taste amazing!
We love using the Sauvignon Blanc to create a white wine sangria! It has hints of fruit, or in their words, Fragrant lemon, grapefruit and tropical fruit on the nose complemented by a sweet pungency, ripe lemon sherbet flavour and a hint of mango… Who doesn’t want all of those flavors combined with the fruit in the Sangria?!When we are entertaining, food is also super important, because duh, FOOD! Both of us like to eat pretty healthy for the most part, but we do know that not all of our company necessarily does. For that reason, we like to have some snacks that will appeal to everybody. Our favorite crackers are by Jilz Gluten Free! They are delicious (and, no they don’t taste ‘gluten free’)! We love that they are made with simply ingredients and are gluten and grain free, and also vegan! We also love the story behind the brand!
We love pairing the crackers with some cheeses, hummus, and some grapes. Not only does it look pretty, but it’s easy to setup and ensures our guests won’t be hangry! We typically arrange this on a cheese board, and then depending on how many people we are having over, we will also put it on a tray, so that it can easily be moved around. Sometimes, we will also use a bar cart to store all of the wine and extra snacks (you can see what takes priority!)
Usually, we will also have some sort of veggie tray and/or a fruit tray. These are also super easy to make, and you can get as creative as you want to (or have time for)!
Swimwear season is not here just yet, but come a couple of months, it will be! Does that make you all nervous? I am definitely not super insecure about being in a swimsuit, but the insecurities I do have, along with most girls, are probably pretty normal. Since getting healthier and changing my lifestyle, I have definitely lost a little bit of body fat.
Girls, you all know what happens to a certain area of your body when you lose weight and body fat, right? Don’t be shocked, but a couple of years ago, I wore a size D or DD cup in bras. Yup, I know. Now, I am probably a B at the most! Needless to say, I am lacking in the chest department. I am not super self-conscious about it, but there are a ton of bikini tops that don’t quite fit the same way they used to. I definitely have to pick out certain bikini tops that I know won’t accentuate how “flat” I look.
Sometimes, my sister and I joke about how we look like we have pecs because our chests are so non-existent. It is definitely hard to go from having a decent sized breast size to feeling like you have nothing. Obviously in clothes, you can wear a more padded bra, but in a swimsuit, it is different. What you have is, well, what you have. Can you all relate to this? There are definitely times that I would rather put on a top or dress to cover up my flat chest in a swimsuit 😉
I always love the swimwear options Target has because they are so cute and SO affordable. I don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a swimsuit that could get ruined after one time of wearing it (yes, that has totally happened to me, UGH)! What is also super awesome about buying swimsuits from Target is that they offer free shipping and free returns, so you can try on as many swimsuits in the comfort of your house without worrying! Some tips for picking out a great swimsuit are:
If you’re smaller in your chest area like me, I would suggest going for a bandeau top, something with ruffles, something with a halter, or a push up bra top.
If you’re bigger on top, bra-style tops with underwire are great options. Also tops with thicker straps and more molded cups are good.
If you’re trying to hide your tummy area, go for swimsuits that have gathered fabric or some kind of “wrap” pattern or crossover. You could also try going for a retro type of swimsuit that covers your tummy area and is worn up higher.
If you have more athletic legs, I always like to go for the bottoms that have ties on the bikini bottoms. I find them to be super flattering!
If you’re flatter in the butt area, I suggest going for bottoms that have your butt and cheeks more exposed, and maybe have some frills or ruching on the sides.
I love that this is a bandeau top so that it makes me look like I have more of a chest than I really do;) Also, how cute are these bottoms?! I love how they have the three accent colors on both sides.
CLICK TO SHOP:
I love this halter top because the print and colors are so fun. I think it would also be good on those of you who have more of a chest as well!
CLICK TO SHOP:
I was kind of surprised I liked this one as much as I did. I knew I would love the bottoms, but the top surprisingly made me feel like I had more of a chest and cleavage.
CLICK TO SHOP:
I just had to share how cute this swimsuit and dress are because I saw them and thought they were absolutely ADORABLE and also the swimsuit is under $30 for both pieces, HELLO!
CLICK TO SHOP:
CLICK TO SHOP:
This one was another favorite of mine. You can’t tell in this picture, but I wasn’t completely filing out the top, haha. I loved how this top has the extra strap above the cup. I think I will probably still keep it since it is black and you can’t really tell that much! I love these swimsuits because, as with the tips I shared above, they accentuate the parts of my body I love, and don’t bring so much attention to the areas I am more self-conscious about. I can’t wait to wear these swimsuits to the pool, beach, and all of the spring and summer festivities coming up! I think it is SO important to find swimwear that you can feel confident in and rock all summer long with your family and friends. I am taking the #nofomo pledge that I will take part in going to the pool and beach with confidence, and not let my insecurities cause me to miss out on fun summertime activities! With these new swimsuits, I know that I will be able to embrace my body! Check out my tips to sticking to your health goals here (and how I stay on track on a daily basis!)
Find your style @targetstyle
This post is sponsored by Target, but all opinions are our own.