Another Random Post

 March has been pretty uneventful but there are little moments that bear remembering and blogging about. 

Like pajama day at the kids school and yes, my little guy won for best pjs.

Lunch with hubby is always worth a mention, as I love to spent time with my man. Plus, your girl loves to eat out. However,  this trip to one of our favorite spots was not the vibe. The food was mediocre at best and pretty disappointing.  Hopefully our next outing will be more delicious.

And then the highlight of the month, so far, was Dune 2. I still have so much to look forward to this month, but watching Dune 2 in theaters was quite the experience.  

Not only was the movie incredible and I can't wait to watch it again, but seeing it in theaters was so much fun and so worth it. ❤️ 

Journey To Glass Skin

 I've been dealing with hyper-pigmentation and dark spots for over 20 years. I had pretty terrible skin and at one point in time, would not leave my house without makeup. 

Skin care just wasn't that important to me until it was. I was tired of the way my skin looked. I envied girls with beautiful skin and perfect pores. I wanted that and so I started my journey to clear skin. 

I wasn't looking for perfection but I wanted better looking skin that didn't embarrass and disappoint me every time I looked in the mirror.

First step was implementing a consistent and effective, yet simple, skin care routine. Keeping it simple meant I would have no trouble keeping up with the routine overtime.

Next step was tackling the dark spots, which meant I would need some sort of chemical peel. Once I had a good and effective skin care in place, I saw a significant and dramatic difference in my skin. It looked more even and I experienced less breakouts. A chemical peel would only add to my results, making my skin even more vibrant and youthful.

The peel wasn't a fix all, however, and I will have to get another one. But the results are pretty impressive.  To keep my skin looking as good as it does, I still have to keep up with my skin care and continue take really good care of my skin. 

Date Nights And Celebrating Friendships

 Date nights and brunch dates give me life and get me so excited.  It's even better when it's a spontaneous day out.  

Thanks to hubby we had two days out back to back and it was lovely. Having brunch after hubby's chiro appointment has become sort of a new little tradition.  And then randomly,  on a Friday, the day after our chiro brunch date, hubby surprised me with a spontaneous date night out. It had been a while since we had a good date night as we've been trying to stick to a strict budget and be more financially frugal.

It was a well needed time away and the perfect way to spend some quality time together.  Hubby works around the clock nonstop, so it's always a nice change of pace when he steps away from work for a few hours. 

On top of my recent days out, I finally had a girls meet-up with my friends to celebrate a few birthdays. We had three birthdays to celebrate but we mainly gave the attention to our friend celebrating a major birthday milestone in turning 50. It was such a vibe!

We decided to have our celebratory meet-up at a cute little cafe that surprisingly had one of the best strawberry milkshakes I've ever had. Yum!

It's Back To School Time...Again

 Wow, it's that time again and the kids are back to school. How quickly the time has flown by. Vacation this year was spent mainly at home, with very little fanfare.  There were no beach trips and very little restaurant visits as the budget has been pretty strict with all three kids now in private school.

Plus,  sis was in town for a medical procedure and I was her main caretaker and chauffeur.  I was booked and busy most of January, in and out on the road just about everyday. To say I was exhausted is an inderstatement but it was nice spending time with family.

Now we're back to a regular schedule, getting into a smooth groove and life just feels normal again. I look forward to what this new year has to offer.

                1st Day of School 2024

Our first family gathering of the year saw us spending time in Heredia celebrating an aunts birthday. An impromptu dip in the spa like jacuzzi made the party and the day that much more memorable. When I tell you it was almost a life changing experience,  trust and believe I was feeling heavenly.

A Food Appreciation Post

 Let's look back at some of my most memorable meals (that I have saved) from 2023.

I have had some really delicious meals over the last year and put some amazing flavors in my mouth that were so memorable,  I want to relive the experience again and again. 

Cafe 1996 Waffles topped with fruit, syrup and ice cream. The waffle is crispy but paired with the ice cream, makes it a perfect combination as the melting ice cream softens the crunchy waffles just enough without making it soggy.

We discovered Il Padrino restaurant in San Pedro and fell in love. The authentic tasting Italian pasta (al dente) and the rich flavors are incredible. We've already been twice and cannot wait to go back for more.

Not necessarily the best food I've had but the brownies to the left are some of the best brownies I have ever eaten. Store bought from Pricesmart,  their desserts always slap. Plus I loved this set up so I had to share again.

Speaking of set ups, my son's 10th birthday was such a vibe. The multiple food stations were giving luxury.  And this dessert and favor station was definitely worth a second share.

Plus the cake, another Pricesmart purchase,  was pretty good.

These churros however,  were amazing.  Set next to the granizado station, it was a pretty big hit.

Celebrating my birthday this year was super fun and I got three different celebrations, which made me feel extra special.  This cake was incredible and my first Teppenyaki experience was nice and definitely an experience.  Not the best food by any means but worth it for the experience and the dessert.

This cake provided free of charge at our Teppenyaki dinner was super good. Like amazingly good. Mouthwatering.

Alma y Arbol Brunch

Now if we're talking about best ever, this was the absolute best french toast I have ever eaten in my entire life. The satisfying first bite was orgasmic. The different flavors and textures were out of this world. I am counting down the days until I can have this french toast again. 

One of the best drinks I've had and something completely out of my comfort zone, a fruity mojito that gave everything it needed to give. Thanks Santo Pecado. 

Now this one goes without saying but my 7 layer magic bars are heaven. It's almost criminal that I only make them once a year for Thanksgiving. 

And speaking of Thanksgiving,  that is usually the best meal of the year for me and this year did not disappoint.  One of the most incredible dishes I ate for Thanksgiving was the green bean casserole.  Oh wow, that left me almost speechless. Oh and the turkey was pretty good too, finger licking good.

Another shout out to Santo Pecado for not disappointing me once again. My meal was absolutely delicious. 

And let's hear it again for Santo Pecado. Third time and they hit it out the park yet again.  Yum.

A simple and easy, yet extremely delicious holiday tradition are these peanut butter blossom cookies.  I look forward to these every year.

We eat out alot, and we have been trying out new restaurants to expand our culinary experiences. We tried a new gastronomic spot that gave upscale food court vibes in December that was top notch. I tried a korean/Asian place and the Asian beef with rice was phenomenal. 

Traditionally,  I make Christmas Eve dinner for my family and it always slaps. However,  this year we were invited to dine with brother in law and his family and I jumped at the chance to have a night off from the kitchen. The Arroz con pollo and potato salad was really really good, so much so I had to take a few helpings home.

So because I usually cook a big meal on Christmas Eve, we would go out to dinner as a family on Christmas day. But since Covid, I've been cooking Christmas dinner and this year's dinner was so simple but oh so yummy. My first ever attempt at homemade mac and cheese was a huge success. I shredded the cheese myself and made the sauce from scratch.  It was so damn good, leftovers barely made it to day two. 

Dinner with friends is always fun and this simple ice crean sunday was divine.

And I have to add our vow renewal cake to this list of the best things I've ever put in my mouth in 2023. Oh wow this cake was delicious.  We had the top-tier left over and gobbled it up in less than 3 days.

Looking forward to what delectable gastronomic experiences await me in 2024.