Author Archives: lifewithlilred

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About lifewithlilred

Just your average gal blogging an average blog!
Nov9

Spaghetti Squash Deliciousness

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Spaghetti Squash Deliciousness

Hello! I really enjoy cooking and, unfortunately, my favorite after work activity fell by the wayside this past summer. We had an unbearably hot summer which made my apartment even more unbearably hot and even the thought of turning on the stove top or oven was too much to bear. Needless to say, I have been loving the cooler weather of fall and was eager to get back to making real meals. This past week, I decided to make spaghetti squash for the first time. I have always wanted to try it and I had the perfect occasion to: I knew Johnny was going to have a big lunch because a food truck was coming to his work and he wouldn’t want dinner on top of it. He also wouldn’t like spaghetti squash anyways so it was the ideal time to give it a shot! I’m so glad I did because it was phenomenal and I can’t wait to make it again:

Prior to starting prep for my spaghetti squash, I looked up several recipes online and they confirmed what I already planned on doing: Half the squash, remove seeds and pulp, and dress with olive oil, salt, and pepper. The hardest part was cutting the squash in half but the rest was easy peasy even though taking out the guts kind of grossed me out! After the squash was ready, I put it in the oven at four hundred degrees and baked for forty minutes and let it sit for another ten. When I was ready to dig in, I truly understood why it’s called spaghetti squash because it really does look just like spaghetti!

My first bite was a crisp blast of buttery, salty, peppery heaven and I had an entire half for dinner! I was genuinely surprised by how filling the spaghetti squash was, although I will say I was a little bit snacky a few hours later. To diminish the sensation of needing a bag of chips or a sweet treat shortly after dinner, I plan on adding on a few ingredients to my next batch. Spaghetti with pesto, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and pine nuts is one of my favorite dishes and I’m sure it will taste just as great with spaghetti squash. I’m super excited to try it! 😀

When it comes to cooking, simple but delicious meals are the name of my game and spaghetti squash is that to the T. I know for a fact Johnny would have hated it but I enjoyed it enough for the both of us! ❤

What toppings do you like on spaghetti squash? What are your favorite fall foods to make? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov8

Bath & Body Works Haul

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Bath & Body Works Haul

Hi! I truly understand why people say they need a vacation after taking a vacation because there was just so much to do when we got back from Italy. Going back to work, unpacking, shopping for groceries and bunny supplies, cleaning the apartment, and trying to get a jump on Christmas shopping too! We were running dangerously low on a lot of our must haves when our vacation ended and hand soap was included on that list. Although I was jet lagged for like a week, I never say no to a trip to Bath & Body Works. I just wish I could have enjoyed it a bit more because I was SO stuffed up and could barely smell anything lol. This is the first time I’ll be for real smelling these scents so let’s see what happens:

Would I Use Again?

Marshmallow Meringue: NO

Vanilla Bean Noel: YES! You already know this is one of my faves!

Snowflakes & Cashmere: NO

Frosted Cranberry: OF COURSE! My other fave holiday scent!

Vanilla Cocoa Flurries: YES

Touch of Gold Body Cream: NO

Why/Why Not?

Marshmallow Meringue: This scent offers notes of “fluffy marshmallow, vanilla, and sweet sugar” and it actually does smell quite nice. I can definitely get a whiff of the marshmallow and vanilla but this scent is just really really light. I like a fragrance that packs a bit more of a punch and this one doesn’t do it for me. I will say, however, that this would be a perfect option to gift with if you are unsure of your giftee’s preferences because it is such a soft and classic scent.

Snowflakes & Cashmere: I have a bone to pick with Snowflakes & Cashmere lol. The scent story goes like this: “vanilla cashmere cream, caramel woods, and frosted clementine”. So tell me why it smells exactly like baby powder?! When I smelled this scent in stores, I really liked it so I guess I was more congested than I thought because I would have never bought this if I was truly smelling it. So, I guess if you want to smell like baby powder then you are going to love Snowflakes & Cashmere!

Vanilla Cocoa Flurries: Finally, a winner in the new to me scents! I am a big fan of Vanilla Cocoa Flurries with its notes of “white cocoa, chilled coconut milk, and vanilla woods”. In other words, do you know what hot chocolate smells like? Can you imagine it with a hint of vanilla? BOOM. Then you know what this scent is all about! This is a very nice holiday scent and I will definitely be purchasing more when the Semi Annual Sale rolls around.

Touch of Gold Body Cream: I had a reward for a free full sized item and decided on a body cream in Touch of Gold. All I can say is, blame it on my stuffy nose because UGH this one is so not it. Touch of Gold features notes of “bright blackberries, golden orange blossom, and decadent tonka”. I very much enjoy a berry citrus scent and I imagine that I thought that that’s what I was smelling when I gave a whiff test. That was NOT what I was actually smelling in the slightest! Touch of Gold is really musky which I despise and I genuinely can’t smell any fruity notes whatsoever. Whomp whomppppp.

This was a super lackluster Bath & Body Works Haul and I can’t say I’m particularly thrilled. My nose led me astray, for sure, and *note to self* shop for smell goods when I can actually smell!

What is your favorite holiday scent? Do you have a favorite B&BW scent? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov7

October 2026 Finishes

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October 2026 Finishes

Howdy everyone and welcome to a belated chit chat about my October Finishes! October was a whirlwind month between vacationing in Italy and Halloween prep and I can’t believe it is already November. I genuinely feel like I’m going to blink and it’s going to be Christmas! Although there isn’t too much to discuss about my empties for October, there is one travel size item that I implemented on both my trips to New Orleans and Italy this year that I wanted to share. It is forever going to be a staple whenever I hop a plane to anywhere but Ohio! Let’s get to it:

Would I Use Again?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: YES

Bath & Body Works Poppy Body Cream: YES

Bath & Body Works Gingham Fresh Body Lotion: YES

Degree Advanced Travel Size Deodorant: YES!!!!

Why/Why Not?

I’m not going to get into talking about the first three products themselves because we all know them by now! What I will say, however, is that it was SO incredibly nice to use all of my go to bath and body and skin care again once I returned from Italy. Not that I was thrilled to be home but I loved being reunited with my must haves that weren’t going to make it onto the plane. Hotel toiletries are okay for a couple of days but after a long trip like the one I took, I was itching to get back to my go to B&BW goodies! Using my most loved products again was great but there was nothing better than taking a shower in my own bathroom. I was constantly Naked & Afraid in the hotel showers in Italy because I could never figure out how to work them lol smh. 😀

Degree Deodorant: I am a Ban fan when it comes to deodorant but, unfortunately, they don’t make them in travel size. During my trips this year, I opted for the three dollar Degree Advanced mini deodorant and was most impressed with it. This travel size stick lasted me three weeks of daily use and worked like a charm. I did a lot of walking in New Orleans and Italy and not once did I experience any crazy sweating or funk. I felt fully protected during 15,000+ step days and you can’t beat that peace of mind when you are traveling. Highly recommend if you are going on a trip soon. You can thank me later! ❤

As much as I enjoy traveling, I really am happy to be home. There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed or getting to use your favorite products again!

Which products did you use up last month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov6

Mrs. Lovett COTD

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Mrs. Lovett COTD

Oh hey! Johnny and I had so much fun on Halloween dressing up in our Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett couple’s costumes and passing out Trick Or Treat candy. This was truly a great success of a night because all of the neighborhood kiddos had a blast, so did we, and this is the first year in literal years that we didn’t run out of candy. We did, however, go through eight bags – my neighborhood was popping off! There is nothing better to me than reveling in spooky season with my main squeeze and I am very proud of how both of our costumes turned out. Here is a closer look at mine:

Who? What? Wear?

Costume Dress: AMIClubwear

Platform Heels: Miss Left, Amazon

The brooch style earrings are from PacSun

The thigh highs, fake lashes, wig, and cleaver hair clips were purchased at Spirit Halloween

My first order of business in creating this costume was finding the perfect dress. I originally had one in mind from Unique Vintage that is very similar to the one I bought from AMIClubwear. That idea was a bust as the dress was no longer available and everything on that website was crazy expensive anyways. I then turned to Google to continue my search and ended up finding my AMIClubwear dress for thirty dollars. It was such a steal! While this dress was ideal for Mrs. Lovett and the price was nice, I’m not going to lie: It was very itchy and was honestly driving me crazy all night. I will do anything in the name of Halloween fashion, though, and powered through because this dress is SO sexy Mrs. Lovett!

Next on the agenda was shoes and I was blessed by finding the amazing black and white striped platforms by Miss Left. This blessing turned out to be a major hassle as it took three tries to get the sizing right because I was unfamiliar with Chinese sizes. While this was a pain in the budinski, the employees that assisted me were so helpful and made sure that I would have my platforms in time to complete my costume. Thank goodness because I couldn’t imagine this COTD without them and the darling bat appliques. As you all know, I love a big chunky platform and will definitely be wearing these bad boys in every day life and not just on Halloween!

Finally, it was onto accessories which were all bought from Spirit Halloween for the most part. It was pretty chilly despite our bonfire during Trick Or Treat so I was thankful to have the thigh highs keeping my legs warm. And can we talk about those adorable cleaver clips? I found them in the cash wrap at Spirit Halloween and they were exactly what I needed to add some flare to my hair! Well, my wig but you get the point. With that, I was ready to rock Halloween with my Sweeney Todd honey!

I genuinely wish that we could fast forward to next Halloween because I legit cannot wait to be Team Rocket with Johnny! Jesse and James FTW!!!!

Does your neighborhood do Trick Or Treat? Did you have a good turnout this year? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov5

Sweeney Todd & Mrs. Lovett Costume

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Sweeney Todd & Mrs. Lovett Costume

Hi! Johnny and I take our Halloween costumes very seriously and have had so much fun throughout the years curating the perfect couples ensembles. For this year’s Halloween, I made the executive decision to be Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett and Johnny was all for it. Perhaps we were both feeling inspired by seeing Josh Groban perform some Sweeney songs this summer! Sweeney Todd has been one of my all time favorite musicals for forever and Mrs. Lovett has always been a dream costume of mine. It was so exciting to finally make that happen with my main squeeze right beside me! Take a look:

Johnny and I basically have the same plans every Halloween: Go to a haunted house and pass out Trick Or Treat candy the following day in my parents’ neighborhood. This year, we got to do one of those things lol. The day before Trick Or Treat, we drove to the Factory Of Terror and got there right when they opened only to find that tickets had been sold out. Little did we know, apparently no one purchases tickets at the haunted house itself and online sales are the way to go so we were left in the dust. This was a bit disappointing but at least now we know for next year, I guess. -_-

Although our haunted house plans were a major bust, Trick Or Treat was an absolute joy! Johnny and I arrived at chez parents with an hour to spare before Trick Or Treat started to take pictures, get a fire going, and queue up our playlist of Ghost, Twin Temples, and classic Halloween hits. That hour of prep flew by so quickly and before we knew it, our first Trick Or Treaters were walking up the driveway! Seeing all of the costumes and interacting with everyone is just the best for me and Johnny and there were countless costumes that took the cake. We loved the family of inflatable dinosaurs, a little boy riding on a remote control car, a bitty baby in an axolotl onesie, and Gandalf The White. The little Gandalf was so happy when we knew who he was because no one else had gotten it right! ❤

While haunted houses are fun, it truly doesn’t get better than our Trick Or Treat time and this Halloween was still such a huge win. I am obsessed with how our costumes turned out and Johnny actually won second place at his work costume contest! Also, this is the first year that we haven’t ran out of candy during Trick Or Treat which is another feather in the cap because that hasn’t happened in several years. Most importantly, the kids in our neighborhood had a blast and that really is what Halloween is all about!

Sweeney Todd & Mrs. Lovett at your service! And we already know what we’re going to be next year *Drum roll, please*… Team Rocket!!! I can’t wait!

What did you do for Halloween? What did you dress up as? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov4

Last Day In Lake Como

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Last Day In Lake Como

Hi!! Our Italy adventure through AAA and Collette came to a close in glorious Lake Como and it was the most spectacular day. As you read, we spent some lackluster time in Venice and we were all ready to go home during our full day there. Then, we arrived at the lake the following morning and ate our words – we never wanted to leave! Our single day in Lake Como consisted of a ferry ride, a walking tour, and a delicious farewell dinner to celebrate the end of an amazing trip. It went from magical to literally painful when we had to depart from the Milan airport the next day – especially when we had a view like this from our room at the Hotel Barchetta Excelsior:

After a quick break in the hotel, we boarded a ferry that took us on a one hour ride around Lake Como. It was so relaxing to look at the water, feel the breeze, and take in the beautiful scenery. This was, easily, the most leisurely activity we did on this entire trip and I think we all really needed it. We had to rally for the bon voyage bash in the evening! During our ferry ride, I was delighted to be sitting by a couple from Paris and got to put my French to the test. We had an excellent conversation and they told me I spoke French very well which was such an awesome compliment! I didn’t think it was possible for our time on the lake to get any better but that chit chat really thrilled me and I am still on cloud nine about it. 😀

Once we returned from the ferry ride, a walking tour commenced and Johnny and I decided to fly solo. We wanted some time with just the two of us before it was back to Akron, Ohio! Johnny and I strolled through the streets, popped in different shops, and enjoyed a drink on the patio of a cafe. It was the most charming afternoon and it felt so good to be feeling so good after I hit my wall in Venice. I genuinely can’t believe I ever wanted to go home lol! While our little date was a joy, it was also bittersweet because all good things must come to an end. I’m just so thankful I got to share in all of this with my main squeeze! ❤

Our day concluded at the restaurant of the hotel for the farewell dinner and it was DIVINE. In fact, this was one of my favorite meals of our whole trip. My vegetarian option was a cheesy risotto, fried eggplant, and a berry crumble for dessert. And, of course, ALL the wine! The risotto was seriously the best and I ate two helpings – I just couldn’t help myself lol and by the time my eggplant arrived, I was regretfully stuffed. What I did have of it was impeccable with crisp, fried breading and juicy eggplant in the middle. And, although I was full to the brim, I had to make room for dessert! The berry crumble was buttery, airy, and packed with juicy berries with a scoop of gelato on top for good measure. They definitely don’t make food like this in the A-K-Rowdy:

When the meal ended, we said goodbye to all of our new friends that were on the tour group with us. Then, Johnny and I returned to our hotel room with the wine we didn’t finish and had a nightcap on our balcony. It was the perfect way to end a remarkable trip and this view will forever be in my heart:

This whirlwind tour of Italy was everything I could have hoped for and so much more. Some day, I will be back. Until then, Italy will never be far from my mind!

Where is your dream vacation destination? How often do you go on vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov3

Lil Red’s Book Club: Pearl By Josh Malerman Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Pearl By Josh Malerman Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! We will conclude my Italy travels with our last stop in Lake Como tomorrow. 🙂 Now, in a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing a horror novel by Josh Malerman called Pearl. I am an avid fan of Josh Malerman’s work and love his eerie and unsettling books and Pearl definitely takes the cake for the weirdest one of his I have read. It was like a horror version of Animal Farm and while it was most disturbing to read, I did end up really liking it. Before we begin our chat, I will be placing a trigger warning on Pearl for animal cruelty and extreme graphic violence. You ready? Let’s do it:

There is something wrong with Grandpa’s farm. Is it the location well off the beaten path? No. Is it something that goes bump in the night? Wrong again. The problem on Grandpa’s farm is a pig named Pearl. Grandpa’s daughter felt it her whole life and as she visits the farm with her children, Jeff and Aaron, they feel it too. Pearl has called to the youngest, Jeff. Not with his voice but with his mind. And Jeff answered. During a perfectly normal day on the farm, seventh grade Jeff went to the pigpen with an ax that he used to kill a pig for Pearl. Pearl didn’t make Jeff do it but he made Jeff want to do it.

Since the incident, Jeff can still hear Pearl’s call. He can even see Pearl changing shape throughout the day. And, on top of it all, he and his brother are now the “weird” kids at school as the gossip of the slaughter traveled fast. The rumors are flying about a talking pig, a killer pig, a pig that makes people go crazy and three students are just crazy enough to visit the farm to see for themselves. Little do they know, they are stepping right into Pearl’s master plan.

Grandpa rescued Pearl when he was just a piglet. He didn’t make Grandpa teach Pearl the ways of the world, language, and philosophy. He made Grandpa want to teach him. Through Grandpa’s lessons, Pearl learned and became very smart and very calculating. Pearl learned how to trap people in his web and they have all just been playing a part to lead up to the grand finale. The day of man is over and the day of the pig is nigh. There can only be one master on the farm. Who will it be? Read Pearl to find out!

If you think Pearl sounds weird based on this summary, then you are spot on. This book was weird AF but completely unputdownable and I finished it in a day. Yes, the story line was bizarre but it was so strange that it was genuinely hard to pull away from it. Just like those trapped in Pearl’s web, I was hooked because it was like nothing I have ever read before. Josh Malerman has the gift of creating a shape to the most obscure plots with his no nonsense and blunt writing. It makes his books seem concrete no matter how twisted the story is and it made Pearl even more harrowing to read. Malerman created this world and in it, Pearl is king. And, as I read, I was immersed in this odd new place where the pigs were the smartest of all and because of his writing style, it felt so real.

There were several parts of Pearl that were difficult to read from the sheer brutality of the violence. However, Pearl is a cat and mouse horror through and through. The characters are being pulled by Pearl and it is up to them to have the mental fortitude to overpower it. To push back and hide their thoughts so Pearl can’t see. And, when that happens, they can move forward. Each party has a plan in this book and it can only be solved through mind games. All the while, Pearl’s strength grows and there is just no telling how far the humans can be pushed before they break. Pearl was one of the most unique horror books I have ever read and I wouldn’t mind reading it again just to try and wrap my mind around it a bit more!

Overall, I am going to rate Pearl with an eight out of ten stars. This wasn’t my favorite Josh Malerman book but I enjoyed it a lot and if you’re looking for a totally different take on horror, then I highly recommend it!

What is your favorite horror book? What is your favorite Josh Malerman book? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov2

Visiting Venice

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Visiting Venice

Hi! We didn’t get off to a strong start in Venice and the full day that we spent there was just okay. The entire tour by AAA and Collette had been so fast paced and jam packed that I think we all hit the wall that day. In fact, I felt perfectly ready to go home at that point and changed my tune completely when we were in Lake Como the following day. That was much more like it! Our time in Venice was spent seeing a glass blowing demonstration, doing a walking tour, having some lunch, shopping, and returning to the hotel for an early night. As you can see, the scenery was gorgeous and I am happy to have seen Venice. This is a location that I wouldn’t visit again, though. Let’s discuss:

Our first stop for the day in Venice was at the Vetri Artistici where we enjoyed a glass blowing demonstration and browsing through the store. I could have done without being in the store altogether because holy expensive!! Everything was seriously one thousand dollars and up but were, indeed, very beautiful. The glass blowing demonstration was the best part but, unfortunately, only lasted for less than ten minutes. In that short period of time, however, one of the glass masters created a pitcher and a horse which were both stunning. He made the process look so easy and effortless and it was mesmerizing to watch him as he worked. I honestly could have stayed in the warmth of the workshop seeing the masterpieces made around me all day!

After we finished experiencing the Vetri Artistici, we visited a gold and leather store for a demonstration too. This was all nice and interesting but well out of the price range of every single person on the trip! By the time the drool was wiped from my chin over the remarkable gold jewelry, it was off to go on the walking tour to take in sights along the Castello district and end in St. Mark’s Square:

When the walking tour was complete, the remainder of the day was ours to explore the city on our own. As I mentioned before, this was the day where we hit our wall and Venice was incredibly overwhelming. The city was insanely crowded and it felt like a fight to take a few steps forward let alone get good pictures because everyone was there with the same idea. Crowds usually don’t bother me that much but in this case I was so worn out and the last place I wanted to be was in the thick of it. It was a welcome reprieve to have some lunch at Birreria Pedavena and just get away from it all!

Our meal at the restaurant was unremarkable. My quattro formaggi pizza was good but not great and was probably the least noteworthy dining experience outside of our dinner in Venice the previous day. I was thankful to have some leftover, though, because none of us felt like venturing back out in Venice in the evening so cold pizza was the move for dinner. It actually hit the spot more than it did in the restaurant when I had it later because I was so hungry!

Our time in Venice was our least favorite of the trip and that’s not to say it wasn’t nice. It was! I think we were all just too deep in our exhaustion and desire to go home to fully enjoy it!

Do you feel homesick when you travel? What has been your least favorite vacation destination during your travels? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov1

Finishing Up In Florence & Arriving In Venice

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Finishing Up In Florence & Arriving In Venice

Hello!! Florence was one of my favorite cities when we went on our Italy adventure through AAA and Collette and the remainder of our time there was so wonderful. We visited a winery in the Chianti region that was directly behind a scenic twelfth century castle. We explored the winery, enjoyed an excellent cooking class, and got to try our dishes during a lunch with a wine tasting. It was the most lovely day that, unfortunately, came to a bit of a screeching halt when we arrived in Venice. More on that later but let’s discuss the cooking class!

Our cooking class was led by Stefano and he taught us how to make pasta and two different sauces. One option was vegetarian with delicious crisp veggies and the other was a bolognese. We started the class with pasta prep and we got the most fabulous tutorial as Stefano stretched, kneaded, and folded the dough with expert ease. After we watched him for a while, it was our turn to try and we each had a go at either stretching or cutting the dough. Stefano carefully watched our efforts, shared tips, and before we knew it we had a ton of fresh made pasta ready for our lunch.

The main prep for the sauces was already done by Stefano but he talked us through the process, the ingredients used, and his tried and true methods. By the time the class concluded we were all famished and ready to sip on wine and do a taste test. We were led to a gorgeous dining hall in the winery and ate like kings which was a blessing as we would learn later. Our dinner at the hotel in Venice was terrible so we were thankful for a good and filling lunch:

With our bellies full, it was time to get back on the bus and make our way to Venice. I was very excited to get there because it’s such a famous location but the getting there was the problem lol. After our bus dropped us off, we had to get on a water taxi to make it to our hotel. In theory, this was no problem. In practice, it was a panic attack worthy affair. My family was in the back of the line to board our water taxi and the dock was not stable whatsoever. It rocked and swayed as people boarded and departed their boats and it was terrifying. I wasn’t scared for me, but my mom doesn’t have the best balance and it was a recipe for disaster.

When it was our turn to get on the water taxi, that was nerve wracking too because the steps to get on them are small and very steep. Once we were safely into the taxi, I was treated to a full blown panic attack. I couldn’t stop shaking and crying because it was just scary and unexpected and I was genuinely worried something terrible would happen. That moving dock was really no joke! It was such a relief to be on solid ground once we were at the hotel and it took me a while to calm down. I had to rally, though, because we were having a group dinner. The company was delightful but the food at the Hotel Carlton on the Grand Canal? Not so much:

The vegetarian meal at the hotel consisted of a sad salad, cold potato things, some type of falafel I think, and a veggie medley. I poked around at the salad for a bit, tasted the potatoes and said hard no, didn’t bother with the falafel, and had a few bites of the veggies. All of the food was lukewarm or downright cold, flavorless, and barely looked appetizing. Every single person on our tour had something bad to say about this meal and we all agreed that it was the worst of the trip, for sure. The food was so unappetizing that I didn’t even feel like trying the tiramisu and my one bite was lackluster AF. This was not a strong start in Venice, indeed, but the following day was much better!

We are nearing the end of my vacation blog recap with one more day in Venice and our final stop in Lake Como. Stay tuned and read all about it!

Do you have any holiday travel plans? Have you ever had a scary travel experience? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Oct31

Italy OOTDs

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Italy OOTDs

Yoohoo! Literally everything about our tour in Italy through AAA and Collette was fun and, yes, that includes packing for the trip too! As I’m sure you imagined, I was most excited to sport Lil Red looks in Italy and that took a fair bit of planning and self control lol. My suitcase isn’t huge and as much as I would have liked to over pack, I restrained myself to the outfits I dreamed up so I would still have room for souvenirs. I just barely did and I think I will definitely be purchasing a bigger suitcase for my next trip! Take a look at some of my Italy OOTDs and let’s discuss my packing process:

I would never say I am last minute about anything because it keeps my anxiety at bay. However, I did pack the day before leaving for Italy and it was in the name of practicality. I was going to create my outfits based on the activities and weather forecast for each day and wanted the results to be as accurate as possible, which meant leaving it till the last minute. I have to say, this method worked like a charm and it also eliminated the stress of figuring out what to wear every day in Italy! Thanks to my planning, I had a guide of exactly what to wear every day as well as alternate options should the weather call for it.

Prior to our trip, we received a booklet from the travel agency with a plethora of housekeeping information and a description of what we would be doing every day. For each day, I looked up the weather of the city we were in and wrote it down. This served as my North Star as I shopped through my wardrobe for outfits. When you’re traveling, the name of the OOTD game is classic pieces and sets that you can mix and match to create multiple different looks. This is exactly what I did by packing a few pairs of smart slacks, a couple of basic essential tops with a twist, two dresses, and some cool weather options like a jacket and cardigan in case I needed it. Although all of the pieces I packed weren’t a perfect match to each other, I could still use a majority of them together and I honestly think I packed light!

As important as it was to dress for the weather in Italy, it was also just as important to dress for the occasion. This is why I really appreciated the booklet we were mailed because it gave insights into how to dress for visiting a church, for example. At most churches in Italy, you must have a top with sleeves and a skirt down to your knees to enter. We visited several churches during our trip and I was not going to be the one waiting outside due to not knowing the dress code! Our booklet also gave excellent descriptions of the scenery in each city we visited so it was also fun to try and match outfits to that. IE: The orange/red flower patterned maxi dress looked stunning against the blue waters of Lake Como!

With some careful, albeit last minute, planning I created a travel wardrobe that kept me stress free and serving looks for my entire vacation!

Are you an early or last minute packer? What are some must haves in your suitcase? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah