Ultimate Ultrasonic Facial Cleanser

I'v e been obsessed with facial cleansers for as long as I can remember. I love scrubs, cream cleansers and masks but one thing I've been really into lately are tools that help make my cleansers work a bit better which is why I'm so in love with the my new Ultimate Ultrasonic Facial Cleanser from Swiss-Ultimate Labs.

When I first got the package I was loving how sleek it looked before I even opened it because the box itself was simple and unassuming. Then I opened it and was in hot pick heaven. I never realized how much I loved the color until I looked around my bathroom and bedroom! But on the the cleansing brush.

I first used this with my favorite makeup removing cleanser and liked that it worked by using pulses instead of a spin type brush. No that I have anything against those but sometimes I want to use an exfoliator and it doesn't work so well with the brushes so that gave this item a win. 

                                

The Ultrasonic Facial Cleanser is an amazing size and fits in my hand really well. I have yet to have an issue with it slipping off or anything like that. Plus I can use it in the shower as well so when I'm pressed for time I can wash my face while I'm in there. The great thing is that I only had to use it for 30 seconds each morning or night and voila! The instructions even come with a massage pattern so I was able to figure out a good flow that is easy to stick with.

Just like most of my new and fun products, this facial cleanser charges via usb so and it's small enough that I can carry it with me wherever I go and just charge it up on my laptop.

The Ultrasonic Facial Cleanser promises to increase facial clarity as well as visibly reduce fine lines and puffiness after 3-4 weeks of use so I will totally keep you guys updated. Who knows, it might make my 2016 must-have's list!

Organic Detox Tea-Perfect for a December Detox!

After stuffing my face like a madwoman this holiday season I totally need to get it together and remind myself of all progress I've made over the last 4 months. My saving grace is that I wasn't and won't be with my family on Thanksgiving and Christmas but it doesn't mean I wasn't out enjoying Thanksgiving dinner at the house of a friend.

With that being said, I really want to spend the rest of the month trying to clean out my system and getting it ready for the madness that January brings when I feel the pressure to focus on my eating habits and working out. So Green Root Wellness Detox Tea is totally what I need right now. It has enough tea for 2 weeks and offers great benefits like eliminating the buildup of toxins and impurities, helping with digestion and of course because it has green tea in it it's a great antioxidant.

 I love tea and I don't drink it with milk, sugar or honey so I always end up tasting it in it's 'natural element' and I have to say that this has a really good taste. Has it been working? Well, I've been doing an hour of cardio 6 times a week since mid-November and I am a little careful with what I eat (Thanksgiving dinners excluded) so I can't know for sure if my stomach is less bloated because of that or the tea but I will say that I do be feeling after I eat. I don't feel weighed down and my insides don't feel wacky everyday after dinner like it has been for the last few months,

It's a win in my book and I'll probably pick up another one of these once I'm done with it.



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EXTRA EXTRA! Beauty Essential add-ons!

Last week I touched on my beauty essentials for the woman that likes to splurge as well as the one that likes to save and today I'm going to write about the little extras we can all use.

I adore cosmetics. I find it very therapeutic to sit in front of a mirror and enhance my features. Primers, tinted moisturizers, eyeshadows and mascaras are all essential for perfectly made face and if anyone takes one thing from what I say it's that all of those items are needed. But once you've mastered the art of showcasing a flawless face you can start playing with some extra colors and enhancements that I'm listing below.


1.Too Faced Lip Injection-$22
 This item is one that you might think is totally unnecessary but it really is for anyone that wants to add a hint of color to their lips, which i highly recommend as well. The best thing about this item is that it dries the lips out while you're wearing it which makes any color applied stick. You should always apply this before your tinted gloss because it expands the lips and lets the color seep into all the natural cracks that you have. After the effete wears off you can apply another coat of said gloss an voila! Color that doesn't come off or gets tacky and stick to everything. The burning sensation is bearable and the plumping is seen right away and lasts a good couple of hours.

2. bareMinerals Blush in Sweetheart Rose-$19
  This blush by bareMinerals is a great item to help the contours of the face stand out. I have naturally high cheekbones but when I wear this it makes me look like I'm showing off! I used to wear this over my mineral foundations but felt that it looked too unnatural. Instead I applied it after my primer but before the foundation to keep it from being so bright and from fading too quickly. Now that I use tinted moisturizer and then a finishing power I just use it right before the powder. I only use it on the highest points of my cheekbones and a bit at the tip of my nose. I wear this during the colder months because I feel it's more suited for that.

3. bareMinerals Prime Time Primer Shadow in Bronzed Twig-$18
 This primer has saved my life! Before brands like Tarte, Sephora and WetnWild changed their formulas to make super high pigmented shadows products like this and Urban Decay's Potion were a godsend. The reason this beats Urban's primer is because it is serious stuff. First, I love that it comes in different shades. This is really great for enhancing the base colors of every eyeshadow possible but even the base one is good enough for all colors. A teeny bit goes a long way and you can cover the area between your lash line up to your brow bone with just a drop. You have to be ready to blend it in quickly though because once it dries it sets and only makeup remover gets rid of it. How amazing is that? My trick is to get my fingers warm by placing them under my thigh for a few minutes because the heat helps to blend it a bit quicker. Another plus of this primer is that it acts like a highlighter and works on every skin tone.

4. Lorac TANtalizer Baked Bronzer-$7/$32
 And then we have my warm wealthier alternative to blush: BRONZER! I always want to look like I just stepped out a private jet from St. Tropez during the spring/summer and this is a massive help. Baking in the sun without proper sunscreen is a no-no but if you want that sun kissed look all you need is this. Unlike blush, whenever I wear this I make it the last thing I put on. I forgo a finishing powder because I don't want anything masking this. I apply it as if I'm writing a rounded W on my face  starting from ear to ear and then do a quick T on my forehead and bridge of my nose. Basically just anywhere that the sun would naturally hit. The light shimmer of this bronzer is perfect for a day time or night time warm weather look and as a bonus it can be worn on the clavicles to enhance another wonderful feature.


These items are all reasonably priced and have earned themselves a permanent spot in my favorite makeup bag. Hopefully it earns one in your as well!

Gifts For The Perfect Host!

Gifts for a hostess

We all have that friend or family member that lives to throw dinner parties. They make sure the table is perfectly set, everything is taken care of from beginning to end and sometimes place cards are used. Because I adore silver and gold and know that it doesn't just have to be used during the holidays below are some great gifts for your favorite hostess with the mostest!





What table isn't set without place mats and/or a runner? These 14x19 place mats are just the thing to set the stage for a fancy brunch or dinner party. They can be used for the holidays, a gold themed event or even be mixed with silver. They're on sale at Bloomingdale's now for $28 so make sure to grab some before the price goes up.




I've been to a few kitschy dinner parties where place cards were used in order to have us feel fancy. My favorite will always be the Clue themed dinner party that I went to years ago but at Zazzle you can get a fancy faux-gold foiled 100 pack for $22.50 that you can of course customize.



Have we met? If we have you know that I'm a lover of champagne and have ben searching for the perfect flutes for over a year. For $50 at Kohl's you can get a 4-pc set with gold that shimmers to ensure that whatever toast you make is always in style. If you're feeling a bit generous I suggest buying 2 sets of these. After all a party of eight is more fun than a party of four!

No one likes to keep their guests waiting for a meal so why not give your favorite hostess a little reminder by getting them this serving tray? It can be used to pass appetizers and drinks around or placed at an entrance so guests can grab them as soon as they get in. Bloomies carries these for $80 and is a great multi-purpose gift.



Setting the mood is key to having a successful dinner party or event. No one wants their guests to feel like they're at a weird office space or doctors office with the wrong lighting. Having candles appropriately placed is a great way to set the ambiance and for $35 Henri Bendel's got you covered.



People who love to entertain don't like to miss any details so being ready to serve coffee as a way to wind down the party and let people know that the host has completed their duties for the night. Your favorite host will love this stackable set of coffee mugs from Debenham's for only $36.




There you have it! There's still time to buy a great gift for a person that loves hosting. These will make great Christmas gifts but a gracious hostess will accept gifts any time of the year!

Living Life to the Fullest for 2016

A croissant on the Champ de Mars, oui oui

I've spent the last couple of years feeling grounded. Instead of jumping on a plane every few months I haven't walked down a jetway more than 6 times in 2015 and that isn't me. But I have to say that I don't mind it that much because I've been busy focusing on work and my blog and I wouldn't change anything about it for the world. This past year has also been spend getting myself mentally ready for things to come from here on out. I had a pretty rough last part of the year but I pushed through it because I didn't want to end up in the slump that I was when things all started.

In terms of my career, I love my job. I'm good at it, I've learned a lot from it and my coworkers are all pretty cool people. Plus, it gives me the flexibility I need to see my family back in New York City as much as I can as well as take time of to write. In the last six months alone I've gone out east three times in order to reset my brain and figure out what steps I needed to take to pull myself out of the funk that I was stuck in and it worked. Getting out of my own head, taking a step back and spending time with people that made me laugh was perfection.

When it comes to the other thing that makes my world go round, I love working on this blog. It started off as just a hobby and now it's turning into more of a full time job. It's been great for me so far and it's been earning me lots of money but after a couple of months of that I was starting to feel burned out. I grew up pretty well off during my early years and I think being able to get whatever I want stayed with me even when I had to fend for myself and had to go to my grandma's house to eat! So having my blog income roll in at warp speed over the last few months has been great. But it didn't come without tons of work.

Having two full time jobs meant everything else was put on the back burner. Eating healthy, working out, even spending time with friends always came last and that didn't work for me. I had to find a balance and finally realized that while never second guessing a purchase was great having time to do what made me happy needed to come first.

I recently took Abbott's LIFE.TO THE FULLEST quiz and realized that all my answers were money. What would make things easier: money. What do people with fulfilled lives have: money. While all that is true, I realized that I need to change my mindset. I work, I can earn that, but being healthy and stress free are the things that I want my focus to be on from here on out.

Abbott's LIFE. TO THE FULLEST hub offers videos, articles and ideas that can help you make healthy changes any time of the year. These changes are centered around things that will make you feel better physically and mentally and remind us not to always be selfish. Someone once told me that they did things for me not because they thought they were necessary but because they knew I'd be happy about it and I try to use that philosophy when it comes to my family and close friends. It keeps that mentally in my head that I can't always be so selfish. I do think that a person should always put themselves first, otherwise they won't be any good to anyone, but it shouldn't stop there.

at London Luton heading to Paris

With how busy everyone is these days we all need to learn to take a step back and take full advantage of what this world has to offer. Thinking about what makes me feel fulfilled inspires me to start traveling a lot again. I miss wandering the streets of Paris alone and eating a croissant on the champ e mars, or visiting old castles in other European cities. And now that I've lived in LA for a few years I've become obsessed with beaches so 2016 will also be spent in Hawaii and my latest obsession, Borakay.

Above all else though, I can't travel the world or try to manage two full time gigs without making sure that my health is on point. Luckily the new building that I'm moving in to next month has a heated pool and a 24 hour gym so I'll have no excuse to not get a good workout in either on the elliptical or by going from a swim. I always feel recharged when I take the time to work out because it lets me concentrate on my health goals and keep pushing myself to finally realize that my health needs to come first.

So tell me, after taking this quiz do you think that your mindset can change in terms of what will make you feel like you're living a full life?

On The Go Blogging Essentials

Thank you Chobani for sponsoring this post. It's about time we say #HelloSummer.

As an on the go blogger, I’m constantly writing wherever I can find a place to sit. I'm constantly writing wherever I am because I like getting letting the ideas flow as quickly as they come. Every blogger eventually develops their own must haves when it comes to their essential tools as someone constantly chasing the latest trends I've come up with my own  so here they are:

1. My Laptop-. This is obvious. I try to take it to as many places as I can if I know I'm going to have a long wait and a table to set it on. I do write a lot on my phone and just transfer it to my laptop but it's nice to just desk and find myself easily getting lost in thought. Once I get a good flow going I don’t like to stop for too long because sometimes I can get easily distracted by a TV show or online shopping. I’ve also had a lot of appointments lately that can last anywhere from 1-2 hours so I constantly need a healthy snack to munch on in between full meals.

2. A Snack-I’ve always loved yogurt. It’s creamy, can be as fruity as you want it to be and it’s easy to throw in a lunch bag. Lately I’ve had the chance to munch on Chobani Greek Yogurt Flip, which are part flavored yogurt, and part topping. The idea is that you can have the Greek yogurt with as much of the topping as you want to add a bit of crunch to your snack. I was sent a few flavors to try out and was surprised that my favorite one turned out to be their Key Lime Crumble Greek Yogurt Flip. All of the yogurts are made with fresh milk and without any sweeteners or preservatives so for someone that adores making sweet treats but isn't a sugar addict, this is great to know. 

I love fruit and it's always great to have when you're on the go because it's healthy, they travel well and they're always on trend when it comes to eating right. Mixing it with something as yummy as Greek yogurt makes it that much better. 

3. Extra Battery Charger- No one wants a dead phone, ever. But it's worse to have it happen when I'm on a roll and don't want to lose my writing flow so having an external battery is essential. 

4. Paper and Pen- I always like to have my notebook with me to jot down ideas when I don't feel like typing on my phone. I used to always write in journals when I was younger so it's only natural that I still do it. I also sometimes find myself in a position where I can't, or shouldn't be on my phone, so my notebook comes in handy at that point as well.

So there you have it. Wherever I go I always make sure I have at least a few of my essentials with me so I can write whenever the mood strikes. And I always make sure to have a snack handy and I think I found something new to add to the rotation! 

PS: Check out all the Chobani Greek Yogurt Flip flavors that they have to keep your taste buds happy with something new and refreshing.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

A Much Needed Aid for Sleep on Flights & After Long Nights of Partying!

I have several sleep masks from Virgin Atlantic and Air Berlin and while I love the colors, designs and handy little carrying cases they're a nightmare for my eye makeup and hair. The elastic string always leaves a mark on my hair after being on for about 6 hours and if I try to put it at the nape of my neck I keep waking up with the mask trying to suffocate me! Then there's what it does to my eye makeup: Imagine landing in London after a 7 hours flight with smudged makeup from the night before--eek! Unlike other people I like to land in the Europe ready to hit the town so perfect hair and makeup are just as essential as the perfect shoes and outfit.

I've been using NightValley Sleep Mask & Ear Plugs for a few days now in preparation for a red eye flight and I'm so glad I have it. I've been having trouble staying asleep because my neighbors have a flood light that when on seeps through my shades and dark curtains. It's not super bright i my room but it doesn't have the darkness I need when I'm trying to fall back asleep. This mask helps prevent that and I've gone back to sleeping throughout the night without any light related issues.

Another reason I like this mask is because it isn't flush against my eyeballs. I'm always able to sleep with one when I'm on a plane because I'm already semi uncomfortable but I always felt like I was able to get kidnapped if I woke up with someone pressed against my eyelids! NightValley Sleep Mask & Ear Plugs is perfectly contoured to avoid that feeling and when I wake up in the morning I don't go into an instant panic.

This sleep mask also prevents that annoying indentation on my hairline because instead of an elastic band it's held together by an adjustable strap to ensure that it's not to tight around the face or through the back.

I'm excited to see how much better I sleep when I take my red eye flight next week and for my subsequent European trips. 

Holiday Gifts for Beauty Fanatics

Holiday Gifts for Beauty Fanatics

Makeup lovers rejoice! I'm sure I'm not the only one that wants to be showered with gifts for Christmas but still has over 50 untouched products. Don't worry though, I've got you covered with beauty related items that will make you swoon!  These affordable gifts are perfect for your wish list or to give to any fellow beauty junkie!

While I haven't used Bare Minerals products in years I still love their kits because they usually come with great quality brushes and some kind of carrying pouch. This BareMinerals collection includes 4 must-have brushes and a carrying case and is a great deal for $28 at Macys.

I doubt there's anyone reading this that can't relate to the need for coffee and their favorite beauty item. mascara is like a gift from the gods and and I for one know that if I'm not myself until I have two things in/on me: coffee and mascara. Is it all I need? Not entirely, but it's very fitting for a lot of occasions! Grab two of these from Etsy.com for $25. One for you and another for your coffee & makeup loving bff.

If I get decent sleep my hair will look perfect, my eyes won't be puffy and aside from a little sallowness in my skin I'd look perfect for a morning selfie. But if I'm up past 2am, god help us all! Either way there's nothing wrong with showing the world how you woke up as you get your daily dose of caffeine and Ashley Brooke Designs is letting you do just that with this mug that's on sale for $23. Isn't this worth that am selfie?                        

 Every on the go makeup bag should be as cute as the items they're carrying. I love all the puns that have been popping up on these lately and can't wait to get my hands on a few. I have a ton of them as it is but I can justify by telling myself that my makeup bag should match my mood and Sephora's got me covered for just $26. I'm sure someone without enough counter space for the cosmetics would love this.

                             



If your gift receiver's counter is anything like mine was a few months ago getting them an acrylic organizer is a must! My life (and counter space) has been transformed thanks to these. There are a ton of these on the market but this one from Target is just $40. The is worth though if you're tired of knocking everything down when you're just trying to wash your hands at a makeup lovers place.



I know we tend to forget that we have actual jobs that let us afford our makeup addiction so I found these cute lipstick highlighters. Not only are these a great addition to my desk at home but I'm totally going to take one of these to work as well. Makeup is my life and I don't mind shouting it from the rooftops! Or you know, a meeting. Animi Causa's $22 Lippy Markers are great for students, colleagues and of course, yourself!

Pick Yourself Up and Dust Yourself Off

Photo By Theo

Last week I wrote about forcing myself to listen to some of the songs that reminded me of my ex. I had to do this because I couldn't let some of my favorite songs be off limits because of a connection that they had to someone. When I mentioned this to a friend she told me that she couldn't listen to The Beatles for about a year after a breakup and there was no way in hell that I was going to go that long without listening to New Order or Pulp. No way, no how!

So with all that being said, I've been putting my focus on forcing myself to feel better about the whole thing. Break ups are awful, just awful. And they're worse when no one ever officially does it even though there are tons of actions that let to it. Having said that, I've been really focusing on getting through this in a positive way.

I've been listening to some great Podcasts, I follow accounts on Twitter based on the laws of attraction and I start my morning every day in a way that a year ago, I would've laughed at the suggestion. Like I felt too cool for that kind of thing. But now that I'm trying my best to be in a positive light as much as possible I think it's a really cool thing to do. What I do every morning now, before I get out of bed, is list the things in my life that I'm grateful for. I've mentioned my health, my family, being able to buy Starbucks everyday...the works! I've found that it's just a good way to start my day and get myself on a positive mindset. Not to say I'm not getting sad when I see something that I want to share with a specific person but it prevents me from starting my day moping around like my life is over.


Overall just doing that one thing has made me feel better throughout the day. I know some people reading this will be like yea right, that doesn't work, it's all mental. But that's actually the point of it all. I'm forcing myself to push the sadness aside and by doing that it's not consuming my every thought. There is that sadness that isn't going away anytime soon and if I want to cry, like if the urge comes, I'm going to let it happen. But I'm trying to not let this get me down too much and I'm doing everything that I can to enjoy my time here in NYC with my family and friends and not let the sadness consume me.

It's been working great for me so far and think it can benefit anyone, especially those who have a crazy schedule that live in super fast paced city (ahem all my NYC friends). I'm constantly doing research on ways I can expand on this to change my way of thinking 100% and this is just the beginning. I'd love to hear about some of the ways that you guys implement the law of attraction and just overall positive thinking into your lives, so share away!

UPS #WishesDelivered Program

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of UPS for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

We are well into the holiday spirit and for most people, myself included, this is a time where moods are elevated, people have bigger smiles on their faces and everyone wants to just enjoy themselves, their family and their friends. And of course, most people want to do something good--for their community and themselves.


I know a lot of people that base their lives on that lately and not just during the holidays. Like myself, I know a lot of people that not only want to do things for themselves but for others as well throughout the year because we see that it’s one thing that really brings a sense of joy and comfort that material things can’t buy. I have a friend who encouraged me to work on my blog hardcore. She always pushed me, praised me and told me how proud she was of my success so I gifted her a few blog related things for the holidays. I bought her domain name as well as a year of hosting because just like she believed in me, I believe in her as well.


It’s hard to speak about just one person that I see doing good for others during the holidays (or any other time of the year) but I feel that this is the time where it’s more apparent. People come together, people are in good spirits and gifts are given. And speaking about gifts, UPS, one of the best ways to ship packages during the holiday season, is celebrating the great people across America this month with their  UPS #WishesDeliveredcampaign.


UPS's #WishesDelivered Site is focused on spreading holiday cheer and raising money from charity via their campaign. Their campaign is focused on celebrating and speaking about people and organizations in communities that help make their surrounds better by their actions in their own way by “delivering wishes”! So tell me- What’s your wish?

As someone that grew up in a very tight knit community with relatives that started businesses in the area focused on creating after school and summer programs for kids in our area I know first hand how great something like that can be. It’s rare that people in some areas use their success to build up their community and I’m so proud to have been a part of something that gives the younger generation an outlet for their athletic talents as well as motivating them academically in order to move their neighborhood into a more modern level. My cousins business, Uptown Sports Complex, in the Bronx just had their seven year anniversary as an outlet for kids to hone their talents in gymnastics, baseball or ballet as well as a place that parents felt comfortable leaving their children in because they know that their focus is on building up the community.

 

With that being said, UPS is donating $1 for every wish made using their #WishesDelivered story to the Boys & Girls Club of America, World Food Programme, Toys for Tots Literacy Program, The Salvation Army and the UN Refugee Agency. Their pledging up to $150K for every wish made.


So let us know who is your community is doing good for more than just themselves. I know we should always ry to do well for others but the holiday season always makes it a bit more special!

Going Natural with Organic Hydrating Serum + Cleanser

I have a friend that is super green. She only eats organic food, her household products are all natural and recently she trashed hundreds of dollars with of skincare and makeup products because of all the chemicals in them. And yes, I almost cried when she did that. She's the reason I eat organic produce and try to be consistent with taking care of my body and even though I'm a huge believer in science, love hardcore skincare products, little by little I'm changing the way I do certain things because she is one to do her research and doesn't have her head in the clouds.

Having said all that, even though I have tons of skincare products that have unpronounceable words I am going to try to change things up so that eventually all of my products are as natural as can be and Purxury's Organic Hydrating Serum and Cleanser is the first item on my list. When I received the package I loved the way the bottle and label looked. Simple, looked like something that could be found in an apothecary shop and with all the ingredients listed on the back. And to my joy the word organic is on 10 of the 15 ingredients in it. With Vitamin E, A and Carrot seed oil, as well as steam-distilled rosewater not needed it.

I used this as a cleanser in the morning and then at night to wash away residue from makeup, sweat from the gym and just being outdoors in general. I followed their directions which is to rub 3 drops to the face and eye area in a circular motion and then using a sot washcloth with warm water and press it into your skin and then wipe off. Pretty simple. The second time I used it though I rubbed it into my skin and then used my Soniclear brush to let it penetrate a bit deeper into my skin and so far I'm loving it.

While I was only sent the serum and cleanser to review the company also let me try some of their handmade soaps which were also a hit! I'm obsessed with the scent of roses lately and to my surprise I was sent a sample of their rose, honey, and detox charcoal which I've been hearing nothing but good things about so that was pretty cool. Oh, and the serum has an expiration date and comes in a dark bottle. These are key because sometimes light can ruin the effects of a lot of vitamins and because they contain no preservatives they still last about a year but no longer than that. However, I'm sure the serum will be used up a lot quicker than that.

Now I know that most of my readers are avid Sephora shoppers and are pro chemicals but I urge you to give this product a try. I'll be writing a lot about natural skin care products and hopefully makeup once I find the right ones for me so this is a great way to start. And because my readers are super awesome, Purxury is letting you guys get 20% off using the discount code: Fascination20.

Try this and their their soaps out and let me know what you think!

Cool Filters With Photone App

Photone is a perfect app with put together best photo editing experience to it's every element. With just one tap you get such a great results. 

Pro grade tonings and filters. Brilliant effects. And that's all you can do with more ease as with playing a game.

MONOTONE
Forget about basic Black and White filters. With Photone App you get different "Monotone" filters with cold, warm and mixed tones.

PROTONE
Add more life to your photos. Make it look Pro with more than 15 sophisticated filters. Just let your imagination fly.

COLORTONE
There's more than a color. You can mix your photos with elaborate and trendy gradients.

PHOTONE EFFECTS
Make your photo awesome. Make it retro-look or vintage. Make it cool. That's all with Photone app.

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS
You may share your edited photos exactly from Photone or save it to device.

Sonoma-Curter Wines

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I am an avid wine drinker so when Sonoma-Cutrer Wines offered me the chance to try a few of their wines out I was more than happy to comply.

As a wine lover, I've had some of the best wines ever, I've been lucky enough to experience the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival from my Parisienne apartment on Rue D'Abesses and I have wine sent over to me from France regularly, so yea, I'm a bit of a wine snob and can be very critical of what I a drinking.

Now on to the wines! I was given two wines to try out- their Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. When it comes to wine I started off drinking whites because I liked the sweetness and reds got me sleepy but now I know how to appreciate a red and all the foods that compliment them.

The Russian River Valley Pinot Noir was the first bottle that I opened because I wanted to cook something hearty and well rounded so I opted for grilled chicken with broccoli and cauliflower cooked in unsalted butter and garlic. I had some while I was making dinner as well as another glass with my meal.

The flavor of the wine was really brought out by the warm and ‘cozy’ meal and they complimented one another extremely well. I’m not a massive fan of wines that are on the dry side so I like that this Pinot Noir feels great in my mouth and doesn’t leave me thirsty for water!

Even though I love my wines from France I'm becoming more and more open to getting as many local products as possible. From produce to wines!

When it came down to the Chardonnay I decided to put some frozen raspberries in it for a relaxing night on my balcony with my boyfriend. I also opened that bottle because it goes well with crisp and delicate fish that I like to cook during these cool SoCal nights. Shop Online for Sonoma-Cutrer Wines has an array of wines that can be purchased through their site and make a great addition to any gathering or to give out as a gift, as well as a great wine to just have at home. I’m really happy with the bottles and I’m so glad that I had the chance to try them out, so now it’s your turn!