Tee Shirt Jeans Bracelet Sandals

Dress Jacket Sneakers

Shirt Pants Earrings Sandals

I grew up in the Inland Empire in Southern California. If you’ve heard of the Inland Empire, then you probably know it’s often referred to as the “armpit of California”. It’s not beautiful, and often trashy, but it’s very centrally located which meant I spent a lot of time exploring the surrounding areas. Below are my favorite day trips during the Winter in southern California.

Palm Springs

Left from Palm Spring Aerial Tram Right from Kayak

Most of my extended family lives in Palm Springs, so I’ve spent a lot of time there. It’s painfully hot during the Summer but mild during the Winter. Palm Springs is often known for the golfing, but there’s lots to do there. I recommend checking out some of the vintage shopping and restaurants along the 111 in downtown Palm Springs. If you want a more winter feeling getaway then I suggest taking the Palm Spring Aerial Tram. It offers stunning views and at the top you can hike, snowshoe, or just take in the scenery at one of the restaurants.

Big Bear

Photo from Big Bear Mountain Resort

Big Bear is home to a ski resort but also offers winter activities like snowshoeing and tubing. It also has a small walkable downtown area.

Joshua Tree National Park

Photo from Visit California

Joshua Tree is near Palm Springs and similar in that it’s miserably hot in the Summer but mild during the Winter. Joshua Tree has trails for any hiking level. Since we are talking about day trips here, I suggest the Arch Rock Trail, since it’s only 1.4 miles. Since it’s a short hike, you’ll be able to fit in seeing the Cholla Cactus Garden Trail which is less than a mile loop but packed with beautiful scenery that is iconic to Joshua Tree.

Temecula

Photo from Visit California

Temecula is sort of known for being the little Napa of southern California. It has tons of great wineries and various ways to explore them. I think taking the Cable Car Wine Tour would be the most unique and charming way to explore wineries in Temecula. If you are like me, and not into wine, it’s still a beautiful place to visit. There are also activities that don’t involve wine, like fantastic spas, shopping in downtown, and biking trails.

Spring is just around the corner and here in Colorado we’ve had a few Spring feeling days already. As the weather turns from Winter to Spring those days that feel very in between can be difficult to dress for. During seasonal transition periods I recommend dressing in current or previous season appropriate items (in this case Winter items) but in upcoming season colors (in this case Spring colors). I also suggest layers and light sweaters this time of year. Below are some Winter to Spring transition outfit ideas.

Tee Blazer (I’ve tried this blazer on in person and it looks more blue/mint color in person) Jeans Shoes

Jeans Sweater Earrings Shoes

Sweater Dress Scarf Belt Shoes

The cookie recipe below is truly heaven on earth and everyone I’ve made it for has asked for the recipe. My husband says these are the best cookies he has ever had. This recipe was inspired by three of my favorite cookie recipes. Claire Saffitz’s Dessert Person taught me so much about baking. I think my baking went from a 7/10 to a 9/10 from everything I learned in that cookbook. One of the skills it taught me was browning butter and how much it elevates baking. I’d say in about half of the desserts I make now, I brown the butter the recipe calls for. It adds so much dimension in flavor.

Laura In The Kitchen’s Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe calls for Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix which I now use in almost every cookie recipe I make. It doesn’t impact the flavor as much as it impacts the texture of cookies. By adding instant vanilla pudding mix, you get a gooey cookie on the inside but the bottoms and edges get the delicious, crunchy, golden brown color. As someone that bakes at a high altitude, this has made the biggest difference in the shape of my cookies. It’s difficult to bake a cookie at my altitude (4,984 ft) without it coming out flat. The pudding mix really helps the cookie maintain some height.

Lastly, this recipe was also inspired by Stephanie’s Sweet Treats Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. This recipe is really unique because it calls for finely blended oreos that act almost as part of the flour. It’s creates and over the top decadent cookie.

Ingredients

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Finely Blended Oreo Crumbs

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar

1/4 Cup Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

1 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

2 Sticks Unsalted Buter

2 Eggs, Room Temperature

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

3/4 Cup Oreo Pieces

1/2 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Set aside a medium, heat proof bowl filled halfway with ice. In a small saucepan, melt the 2 sticks of unsalted butter over medium low to medium heat. Use a heat proof spatula to stir constantly, scraping the sides and bottom of pan while stirring. The butter will begin to foam and you will see the fat solids begin to separate. The fat solids will begin to turn a caramel color and the butter will start to smell nutty, that’s when you know the butter has browned (this will take about 6 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat immediately and place in the bowl of ice to cool to room temperature.

Once the butter has reached room temperature (it doesn’t need to completely solidify again), use a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed to cream the butter with 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar (this will take about a minute). Add the 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla extract and continue to blend for another couple of minutes.

Use a food processor to finely blend Oreos. This will take about 5 to 7 Oreos to make 1/2 cup. In a bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup of finely blended Oreos, 2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer and blend until well combined. Mix in the 3/4 cup Oreo pieces, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Use a 2-ounce cookie scoop to form the cookie dough into balls and place on a baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack before serving.

Tips

The brown butter can be made the day before and cooled in the regrigerator.

If you want extra decadent cookies, you can also scrape out the inside of 1 vanilla bean pod and add.

I always like to have cookie dough in the freezer, for freshly baked cookies at any time. I put the cookie dough into a freezer safe zip lock bag after it has cooled in the refrigerator.

Music Festival season is coming up so I’m taking the time to put together some outfits that would be great to wear at music festivals. Obviously every festival is different so you can tailor it to your needs.

Look 1

Tee Sunglasses Shorts Sandals

This first look is a great option for anyone intimidated by music festival attire. Music festivals have become known for adventurous style, and I understand that’s definitely not for everyone. This outfit is great because it’s playful but not super out there. Flats are going to generally be most practical for festival attire but if you want to wear heels I suggest going for a block heel that’s comfortable and stable.

Look 2

Top Bracelet Pants Shoes

The second look is much more edgy. I generally don’t recommend bringing a handbag into a music festival so pants like these are super practical with all the pockets. This would be a great look if rain is forecasted the day of or days leading up to the festival.

Look 3

Set Top Set Skirt Handbag Sandals

This last look is a sexier look but still casual and music festival appropriate styled with the sandals and handbag. Like I said previously, I don’t really recommend bringing a handbag but I know that’s not realistic for everyone. If you need to bring one, I suggest making sure the strap is extremely comfortable, don’t over pack it, and wear it crossbody.

I love being pampered, and there is something particularly relaxing about being pampered in your own home. Below are all my essentials for the ultimate pampering and relaxing evening at home.

Body Scrub Face Mask Bath Bomb Facial Steamer Foot Mask

I’m a body care junkie. I love trying new products and taking care of the skin on my body. There’s so much focus on taking care of the skin on your face, that people often forget you have to take care of your body too. Below are my body care essentials for the Winter months.

Exfoliating Foot Mask As much as I am a body care junkie, I really hate getting pedicures. Since my feet are not out on display this time of year, I just refuse to get a pedicure during the Winter. That being said, I still want to take care of the skin on my feet. I like to use this exfoliating mask because it really does exfoliate well…It makes your feet peel which is why I like to use this during the Winter, because you really don’t want to be using it unless you are planning on wearing closed toed shoes for a couple of weeks.

Hydrating Foot Mask I like to use this hydrating foot mask in conjunction with the exfoliating mask. The exfoliating mask will make my feet peel for about a week and during that time I like to use the hydrating foot mask a few times.

Glow Getter Body Wash This body wash is what inspired me to share my Winter Body Care Essentials. I like using a hydrating body wash all year, but particularly in the Winter. I’ve tried many body washes that claim to be hydrating, and this is the only one I feel is truly hydrating. It’s incredibly luxurious feeling on the skin.

Dry Brush I’ve been doing dry brushing on and off for about a decade. There are tons of benefits to it. I especially like to do it in the Winter because my skin tends to look a little dull this time of year and dry brushing regularly helps give life back into my skin.

CeraVe Moisturizer I’ve been loving this moisturizer this season. It’s extremely hydrating and soothing.

Gloves In A Bottle I’m trying to do a better job at keeping my hands moisturized. I cook a lot and wash my hands frequently when cooking. It leaves my hands very dry so I’m combating that with this hand cream. What makes this hand cream different is that it lasts through washing.

Winter always seems to drag on but this year I feel like it has flown by. I can’t believe Spring is just a month away. Below are all of the things I have been loving this season.

Pajamas I ordered a pair of these pajamas back in December and love them so much that I have since bought them in 3 more colors. They are incredibly soft and wash well.

Myth Perfume This perfume is described as “Warm and Spicy” on Sephora’s website and I typically don’t like warm and spicy perfumes. I personally would describe this as a sexy but fresh scent. Sexy and fresh perfumes don’t typically go together which makes this perfume really unique.

Hand Held Vacuum Our hand held Dyson vacuum kicked the bucket late last year and when I went to replace it I specifically looked at reviews from cat owners. Every time I clean my cat’s litter box, I use a hand held vacuum to vacuum up the litter around the box. You’d be surprised at how many hand held vacuums don’t pickup litter. At of all the ones I’ve tried, this one works best.

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 Cream I heard someone describe this cream as “slimy” and I was sold. It really is a slimy cream and it feels so incredibly good on my skin. It’s really helped with maintaining and rebuilding my skin barrier.

Daisy Jones & The Six I planned on reading this book when it came out but never got around to it. I finally read it in January. I’m a fan of Taylor Jenkins Reid, and love historical fiction, so naturally I loved this book. I loved the references to some of my favorite iconic music spots in LA and I loved the characters. This is the type of book you could read in one sitting.

Flared Jeans I got flared jeans from Paige almost a decade ago and at the time no one was wearing them so I got looks when I wore them. I love that they are back in style because I think they are the more universally flattering style of jeans. Unless you are 6+ feet tall you will like have to get these jeans altered.

Since getting diagnosed with LADA T1D in July of last year, chia seed pudding has become one of my go-to breakfast options. It’s one of the few sweet breakfast options I have that won’t spike my blood sugar. It’s nutrient dense and keeps me full. The flavor options for chia seed pudding are endless but recently, my chocolate peanut butter cup version is my favorite.

Ingredients (Makes 3 to 4 servings)

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3 Tbsp. chia seeds

2 to 3 Tbsp. Creamy Peanut Butter

2 Tbsp. Hemp Hearts

1 heaping scoop of Vital Proteins Chocolate Collagen Peptide Powder

Directions

1. Use a blender to combine 1 cup almond milk, 2-3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, and 1 heaping scoop of chocolate collagen powder.
2. In an airtight container, mix 2 Tbsp. hemp hearts and 3 Tbsp. chia seeds with the liquids.
3. Occasionally stir for about 10 minutes until it has mostly set in a pudding like consistency.
4. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. I like to make mine the night before so it can chill overnight. Give it a stir before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Sometimes chia seeds can have a fishy taste to them and this recipe masks that, but if you don’t typically like the taste of chia seeds I recommend getting white chia seeds. I find white chia seeds to have no flavor to them.

You can buy Vital Proteins Chocolate Collagen Powder here. It’s also sold at Target. I find the best price for it is at Costco. I have not tried it with anything else but you could probably substitute it with your chocolate protein powder of choice.

I’ve shared all season and warm weather wardrobe staples for business casual attire, and I know it helped some people entering the workforce for the first time, and those returning to regular office environments. Getting dressed in the morning is not something you want to put much effort into when you have a busy day ahead. Below are some staples for business casual attire for the Winter. These pieces can be mixed and matched, they can be worn with tons of other business casual staples, and they can be worn in casual environments too.

Tweed Blazer I love this blazer because it can be dressed up with black slacks and a button down shirt for a more professional day, or it can be worn with a jeans and t shirt on a casual Friday.

Cashmere Sweater Find a simple classic sweater you love and buy it in all the colors it comes in. A simple sweater can be worn with anything.

Cardigan Having a great cardigan in your wardrobe means you can still wear those blouses you love for Spring and Summer, during the Winter too. Throwing on a cardigan over a thinner blouse can make it seasonally appropriate and add warmth.

Pant Long pants are obviously a necessity during colder months. This pair is particularly great because it’s an all season pant. You’ll be able to wear it on cold days in the Winter and warm days in the Summer.

Classic Bootie The reason I chose a classic bootie as apposed to other styles of boots is because it can be worn with any style of pant. You can tuck in slimmer pants or wear it under wider pants.

Classic White Button Down A classic white button down is often overlooked in the Winter but it truly is an all season shirt. During the Winter you can wear it under a blazer, cardigan, or layer it under a sweater.

Coat A great coat is important for any Winter wardrobe staples. For business casual attire, I suggest buying a neutral color that could be paired with everything in your Winter business casual wardrobe. I also suggest sizing up one to two sizes so ensure it will fit well with blazers, cardigans, or bulky sweaters under it.