Aug3

July 2025 Finishes

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July 2025 Finishes

Howdy everyone and welcome to a brand new month here on lifewithlilred! We can’t let the beginning of August pass us by without going back in time to July to discuss all things beauty finishes. This past month provided beaucoup empties and while some were great, others missed the mark completely and I was SO happy to be done with them! Let’s take a look at some of the must have highlights as well as the ones that you can thank me later for skipping on:

Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Twisted Peppermint Lotion: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Precision Beauty Brightening Serum: NO

Bath & Body Works Gingham All-American Body Cream: YES

Bath & Body Works Always & Forever Body Cream: HARD NO

Bath & Body Works Sweet Pea Shower Gel: YES

Azure Collagen & Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer: NO

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Twisted Peppermint Lotion: Do you enjoy the scent of Thin Mint cookies? If so, you are going to freaking LOVE Twisted Peppermint. This is easily one of my favorite scents from the holiday collection and I was so sad when I used up this lotion after three or so weeks of daily use. It served all of the Christmas in July vibes and I can’t wait to get a re-up on my Twisted Peppermint fix as soon as the holiday season hits!

Precision Beauty Serum: This brightening serum by Precision Beauty was a major disappointment for me. First and foremost, I didn’t notice any differences in my skin’s radiance. Equally as important, this serum was not a great value either. I needed several pumps of the serum to achieve full coverage on my face and neck. It took me a little less than three weeks of twice daily use to finish the bottle. In stark contrast, the serum I have been using since I finished this serum in mid July is not even halfway done yet. This is definitely a product you can bypass.

B&BW Gingham All-American Body Cream: Do you enjoy the scent of Rocket Pops? Or perhaps a juicy bowl of red berries? Then you are going to freaking LOVE Gingham All-American! I am a HUGE fan of all things Gingham from B&BW and their newest addition is pure summer fun. Sweet strawberries and tart raspberries do all of the talking and All-American is high up on my list of favorite Gingham expansions. Don’t get me wrong, nothing will ever beat the OG but All-American is a fabulous all around effort.

B&BW Always & Forever Body Cream: Sometimes when I have a freebie coupon for B&BW, I go fully random. I’ll grab the first travel size item I see, check out, and see what happens later lol. Honestly, I should have given Always & Forever a sniff test because I never would have gotten it! If you are a fan of smelling like an old lady, then go for it obvi. However, if you don’t want to smell like a lace doily, stay clear of Always & Forever for always and forever!

Azure Moisturizer: There were a lot of things that I liked about this moisturizer. The texture was nice and light, which is perfect for summer. It absorbed quickly and sat well under makeup. This moisturizer was also very long lasting and took me over a month of twice daily use to complete the jar. These are all important to me but unfortunately mean nothing because this moisturizer was not it. It made literally no difference to my skin’s appearance after extended use and didn’t provide the tightening sensation that I love in a collagen based product. In theory, this was a good moisturizer. In practice, not so much.

I finished up lots of goodies in July and for the most part, it was a pretty damn successful month on the empties front. I can’t wait to break out new skin care and smell goods all August long! 😀

What products did you finish up this 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

Aug2

Summer Breeze OOTD

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Summer Breeze OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Today, we are going to take a look at a cute little look that I wore for a cute little date day with my main squeeze. Whenever Johnny and I are stepping out over the weekend, trust and believe we are showing out. Throughout the work week, our uniforms consist of jeans and a T-shirt so we take every opportunity to get dressed up very seriously and I love that for us. I am so lucky to have a partner that enjoys fashion as much as I do! Take a peek at my Summer Breeze OOTD and let’s get to it:

Who? What? Wear?

Crop Top: Bozzolo, TJMaxx

Trapeze Pants: Patrons Of Peace, TJMaxx

Lace Up Heels: BCBG, TJMaxx

Cuff Bracelet: Aerie

Spike Earrings: These were a birthday gift from my Mother-In-Law! ❤

It was an insanely hot day for mine and Johnny’s Date Day and it took a fair bit of browsing in my wardrobe to decide what I wanted to wear. All I knew was that I was sick of wearing shorts, I didn’t feel like shaving my legs to wear a skirt, I don’t have a ton of sun dresses to pick from, and oh yeah – I wanted to be as cool and comfortable as possible too. It was a tall order! Then, my eyes locked in on my pair of tropical patterned trapeze pants by Patrons Of Peace and I knew we were in business.

For as gorgeous as these pantaloons are, I don’t break them out very often because I have like two shirts that would go with it lol. The pattern is so bold and it really does require a basic essential that is close to a perfect match to a color in the pants to pair with. All of my basic essentials are either a stark white or black and that simply wouldn’t do. Then, I remembered one of my newest TJMaxx purchases – a crochet cream colored crop top and I could definitely work with that! These two pieces together were easy breezy and so crazy comfy. It might look it, but these pants are not as heavy as they appear. They are made from the lightest fabric and it barely touches my legs. It’s almost as if I was wearing a maxi skirt and it was a great option to break free from the norm of summer basic staples!

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. Honestly, I feel like I could have worn any pair of shoes and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference. These pants totally have maxi skirt length and were mere inches away from the ground after my BCBG lace up heels were on and you could barely see them. #shortgirlproblems ! For jewelry, I put on the prettiest gold cuff bracelet that has a palm leaf etched into it from Aerie. It fit the vibe of this look so well! I kept things simple with my earrings and chose a dangly pair of silver spikes and I was ready to step out on the town with my boo thang! 😀

Listen, I am getting downright fed up with dressing for summer but this Summer Breeze OOTD was such a fun way to shake things up. Can it be fall now, or?!

What is your favorite pattern to wear? What are some of your summer wardrobe essentials? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Aug1

Date Day!

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Date Day!

Hello! On Saturday, Johnny and I had plans to meet up with his old band mate for some lunch and a jam session. That plan fell through, but we had literally no food in the apartment and were dressed up with nowhere to go so we decided to do lunch anyways. We hit up Mr. Zubs in Highland Square for some drinks and grub and had the absolute best time. By the time we were done with our meal, we both REALLY wanted to go home and take it easy because the food coma was intense. Even though our initial plan was a flop, the day truly couldn’t have gone better!

Mr. Zubs is a funky little place that has an eclectic menu, a full bar, and fun events happening constantly. In fact, Johnny and I might attend their newest hangout called Tubi Tuesdays where they literally just play Tubi all evening and provide snacks. It sounds like a hoot! Lol, anyways, after ordering our food we went to the bar for a libation. I got a Diet Coke, of course, and a Lady which was a tasty concoction of vanilla vodka, cranberry, and Sprite. Johnny, on the other hand, thought he was trying out a new pineapple seltzer…

WRONG!!!!!

After taking a sip of his drink, Johnny realized he was not sipping on boozy bubbly water in the slightest. He just took a sip of a THC drink!!! It was SO. Funny. and because he was driving, he let me have dibs on the cannabis bubbly water. Ourselves and the bartender were in stitches and we couldn’t get over my Holy Trinity of drinks. The young chap tending bar said it was a “bisexual drink order” and I’ve honestly never felt more seen or heard. I immediately quipped back “how could you tell?!” 😀

Our food arrived shortly after we returned from the bar and, as always, everything was delicious. There is no one who appreciates a restaurant with a really good vegetarian menu more than me and Mr. Zubs delivers. They have a ton of meals and apps for vegetarians and vegans alike and it’s nice to be able to have my pick of a bunch of different things rather than a lone veggie burger. Whenever Johnny and I DoorDash Zubs, I have to get their grape leaves and this time was no different. They are not the best I have ever had – that is reserved for a tiny Mediterranean market up the road from my place but they still hit the spot. I also got their triple decker grilled cheese which was worth every difficult bite because it was delicious!

With nothing left to do for our day but to lounge and veg, we headed home and spent the rest of our time listening to music and watching stand up specials. It was a wonderful Date Day, indeed, and be sure to peep a brand new OOTD from our outing coming soon!

What is your favorite local restaurant? Where is your favorite place to go on a date? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul31

Lil Red’s Book Club: Don’t Let Him In By Lisa Jewell Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Don’t Let Him In By Lisa Jewell Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we will be discussing the latest thriller by Lisa Jewell called Don’t Let Him In. This was a particularly fun read because I had the pleasure of attending a special Zoom conference with Jewell through the library system to talk about this book prior to its release last month. It was really cool to read this book with knowledge straight from the author herself and I read ravenously. I finished it in two sittings! Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Don’t Let Him In for violence and disturbing content. Now, let’s get to it:

Ash is in her mid twenties and had her life upturned once before due to an intense struggle with mental health. One year later, just as she is getting her bearings in her parents’ home, life throws another curveball. Her beloved father, Paddy, was pushed onto train tracks by a man suffering from schizophrenia. In the midst of the family’s despair, it is up to Paddy’s widow, Nina, to maintain his business as an owner and chef to a popular chain of restaurants. As time passes, Ash continues to struggle with the loss of her dad. Nina, on the other hand, is getting back into the swing of things. She has been messaging with a man named Nick, an old colleague of Paddy, who sent a letter offering his condolences. Of course, Ash finds this to be moving too quickly, but Nina is ready to take back her life and that means dating too.

Ash begrudgingly meets her mom’s new suitor and is instantly put off. Nick is tall, handsome, successful, and perfect. So why hasn’t he been married or have any children of his own? All Ash has right now is her own feelings that something isn’t right but she is keeping them to herself. Her mom is happy – glowing even and she might chalk up Ash’s concerns to her mental illness. These feelings, however, cannot be pushed aside and she fears that Nick doesn’t really have her mother’s best interests at heart. Is he truly as perfect and in love as he presents himself to be or is he after something else entirely? Money, perhaps from the Paddy’s empire?

Rather than live with her suspicion, Ash begins to dig. She snoops in Nick’s pockets and finds nothing but questions. A doggy bag to collect waste although Nick has no dogs. A pacifier clip but Nick has no kids. He offers reasonable explanations to each item but it’s just not good enough. So, Ash digs deeper. She enlists the help of Paddy’s ex-girlfriend, Jane, under the guise of wanting to learn more about her dad and his old coworker Nick. Jane, who was certifiably obsessed with Paddy claims to have no knowledge of an acquaintance named Nick and every red flag in Ash’s being goes up. This is proof right here and now that Nick is not who he claims to be. So, the newly found team digs deeper. What they find? A web of lies that have been spinning long before Nick and Nina ever began speaking. How many other people have fell victim to Nick? And who is he really? Read Don’t Let Him In to find out!

I realize that this synopsis is incredibly vague. BUT, Lil Red’s Book Club is a spoiler free setting and sharing anymore is going to ruin Don’t Let Him In. I would so hate to do that because it really was a gripping read. It was fast paced and filled with absolutely delicious twists and turns. As you all know, I fancy myself an amateur sleuth when I read. Normally, I despise when I can call every shot in a book before it happens and that was very much the case for Don’t Let Him In. Surprisingly enough, I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I’m not sure if it’s because I attended the talk about this book with Lisa Jewell or if it was truly that good. Maybe a little bit of both?

I wouldn’t say that I was particularly attached to any of the characters in this book. For all of Ash’s determination to find the truth, I found her to be quite boring. Having said that, every character in this book was in a dangerous situation. A situation that could go from bad to worse based on mood alone and, as a reader, all you could do was sit back and watch it happen. This made each victim SO easy to root for because we saw clearly who the “bad man” was and they were none the wiser. Lisa Jewell is brilliant at bringing urgency to every single page and it certainly kept me turning them!

Overall, I am going to rate Don’t Let Him In with a six and a half out of ten stars. Upon further reflection, I do think attending the talk with Jewell impacted my opinion of this book. That doesn’t take away from the fact that it was a great story, though, and I would still highly recommend giving it a shot!

What are you currently reading? What should I read next? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul30

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

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Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

Hello! I often mention that summer is my least favorite season to dress for, but it is also my least favorite season in general. I am on a hefty dose of a hefty amount of medications for my mental health and Every. Single. One. of them makes me more susceptible to heat related illnesses. Merely stepping outside on an uber hot day or returning home to my uber hot apartment when temperatures spike is enough to send me into a woozy tailspin. This was most certainly the case for me this past week because we went from lovely eighty degree days to ninety plus degree temps and the sudden change caught me off guard. So much so, that I wasn’t following any of the precautions I have perfected over the years. I DEFINITELY need to be better about this and if you do too or need advice, let’s go through a few friendly reminders:

Recognize your symptoms:

When I am starting to overheat, it goes from bad to worse quite quickly. This is why it’s SO important to recognize your tells when it is really hot out. For me, it usually starts with a wave of dizziness, followed by sudden fatigue, and finally an intense heaviness in my legs. As soon as your first tell reveals itself, Do. Not. Ignore. It!! This is your warning sign to get yourself to a cool area ASAP. If I am out and about, this means getting myself into a store because they always have crispy AF AC. If I am at home, I retreat to the bedroom because it is the only space in my apartment that has a measly AC unit. It’s amazing how much better I feel after a half hour or so in a cool environment!

ABS (Always Be Sipping!):

If you don’t already have a favorite tumbler mug or Stanley cup, I cannot recommend getting one enough and sipping often. My water intake has increased exponentially since I began toting a mug with me everywhere I go and the effects are noticeable when I forget to take one with me to work. Should you forget, swing by a gas station en route to wherever you’re going for a few bottles of water. You’ll be thanking yourself when your temperature is better regulated all day.

Take it easy:

It’s SO easy to forget to take it easy when everyone else is having fun in the sun. However, it is SO important to take it easy and take breaks frequently if you are more prone to overheating than your peers. If you are on the go, try and find a spot to cool off at least every hour. You can also start planning outdoor activities according to the coolest times of the day. Perhaps you take your dog for a walk first thing in the morning. Maybe that means playing outdoor games with friends in the evening instead of the middle of the afternoon. Make smart decisions with your plans and know when to say no or suggest a different time of the day if you fear the activity might be too much for you. You know yourself best!

Cold treats:

Every summer, cold showers and Popsicles are the name of my game for instant relief. Whatever your go to is, don’t be afraid to break it out as often as you see fit. When I get home from work, the first thing I do is grab a Popsicle from the freezer. Spoiling my dinner be damned because as soon as an ice pop hits my lips, I start feeling better. Maybe it’s in my head, maybe the Popsicles and cold showers really are working some magic. Whatever your relief is, keep it handy so you can start your cooling off process ASAP.

I have been over summer since it started but even more so now considering I almost fainted several times last week. Stay cool, stay safe, and stay hydrated regardless of if you are more susceptible to the heat or not. Fall can’t come soon enough!

Do you thrive in the heat or wilt? What is your favorite way to cool off? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul29

Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD Bloopers

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Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD Bloopers

Hello everyone and welcome to the Blooper Reel from my Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD! I always look forward to taking OOTD pictures and TikTok videos, but was especially excited for this particular look. I had just got my hair done, was sporting a new favorite dress, and was feeling my goddamn self and have been every day since my appointment at the Shear Shop. It’s amazing what a new do can do to crank the ol’ self esteem up to eleven! The shots you are about to see definitely don’t fall under the feeling myself category but let’s take a look anyways:

Major Pale Man from Pan’s Labyrinth vibes and I’m living for it!

The prettiest smile just for you ❤

Hanging on for dear life

Tyra Banks would be proud because I am finding the light SO hard

Lmaooo I’m sexy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top notch John Cena impression

To blog or not to blog, that is the question

Being self employed is a wonderful, beautiful thing. Not having PTO, however, freaking sucks lol. Because I’m losing money when I take a day off, it is a rarity for me to do so outside of holidays or being sick. This is not a good habit in the slightest because everyone needs a day or two off and one of my goals has been to be more lenient when I need a break. Which is why I am so happy to report that I am on staycation, baby!!!!! Outside of two easy peasy shifts, I have THREE full days off and I am ecstatic.

What am I going to do during my me time? Probs nothing but vegging out and enjoying every minute of it! Since mine and Johnny’s birthaversary, our weekends have been jam packed. We have legit had plans every weekend since June first and while it has been so much fun, it was exhausting and a staycation reprieve on my couch is exactly what the doctor (me) ordered. I plan on binging documentaries, TV shows Johnny has no interest in, and kicking it old school with my Nintendo 3DS. I recently acquired the only game in the Paper Mario series that I don’t have, Sticker Star, and playing it has been a blast. I can’t wait to utilize my couch time to the fullest and beat it! 😀

Staycation all I ever wanted, staycation got to stay home or however that one song goes. I’m stoked!!

What would you do during a staycation? Where would you go for a dream vacation? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul28

Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD

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Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! After getting my hair done, I could not wait to shoot ALL the content and was so excited to break out one of my favorite recent purchases: A gorgeous Max Studio maxi dress that I tried on a whim during an impromptu TJMaxx trip with my mom. As a short queen, maxi dresses are either a hit or a miss. There is no in between whatsoever so the dress you are about to see was a total toss up. You have no idea how happy I was when this pretty little number not only worked but elevated me to feeling myself status! Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Maxi Dress: Max Studio, TJMaxx

Platforms: Free People, TJMaxx

Earrings: Sincerely Jules, TJMaxx

Maxi dresses are such a magical summer staple. They provide the most wonderful movement, are lightweight, and incorporate fash-ion into a season when basic essentials reign supreme. This Max Studio dress is, easily, the best maxi dress I have ever owned. The pattern is bold and bright, the ruffle sleeves and tiered ruffle skirt make me want to dance, and that rouched waistline provides an hourglass silhouette to keep me from drowning in fabric. From top to bottom, this dress is IT. The only thing it requires are accessories that enhance because this dress does all of the talking.

With no need for anything else in the wardrobe department, the remainder of this look was simply shoes and accessories. Normally, I like to get funky with my shoe choices but this was not the dress to do so with. With the name of the game being enhancing the maxi dress, there was only one obvious option in my shoe department: My Free People platforms with basically the same color of red as the flowers in the dress for the straps and a buttery caramel heel. These heels gave me extra length to keep the dress from dragging and the colors I needed to prevent this look from feeling cluttered.

Last but not least was accessories. As the pattern of the dress was an accessory in itself, I only wanted to wear earrings. Rather than keep it simple, I went for a pair with some flashy sparkle to extenuate my neck. Outside of my arms, my neck was the only open real estate and it was important to draw attention to it to create the illusion of length. I put on one of my most beloved pairs: A dangly, tier diamond shape with crystal sparkles that my sweet niece got me for my birthday. They have the most delicious movement that danced, just like the dress. With that, I was ready to show off my new duds AND my new do!

This Maxi Dress, Max Style OOTD was so simple in its styling but screamed “look at me”. It is one of my favorite OOTDs of recent memory and I am so in love with my maxi dress! ❤

What is your favorite style of dress to wear? Did you get any wardrobe updates this summer? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul27

Lil Red’s Book Club: Fresh Off The Boat By Eddie Huang Edition

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Lil Red’s Book Club: Fresh Off The Boat By Eddie Huang Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Lil Red’s Book Club! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing a memoir by Eddie Huang called Fresh Off The Boat. A memoir is a far cry from the fast paced thrillers that I normally read. However, Fresh Off The Boat is a book that I have been most eager to sink my teeth into. Johnny and I absolutely love the TV show of the same name and I was so curious to see how accurately the Huang family was portrayed after reading the book. I was SHOOK to find out that the family friendly comedy sitcom took A LOT of liberties lol. Before we begin, I will be placing a trigger warning on Fresh Off The Boat for child abuse and general violence. Now, let’s get to it:

Eddie Huang is the eldest son of Jessica and Louis and big bro to Emery and Evan. His parents immigrated from Taiwan and China, respectively, and were Fresh Off The Boat in America trying to create a better life and, of course, make lots and lots of money. Louis found his fortune by opening restaurants in Orlando, Florida and his family joined him there after his businesses began turning a hefty profit. Eddie became the new kid and not just any new kid. A Chinese-American kid and one of the very few in the area.

As Eddie grew up, he struggled to find a place to belong. His parents were not merely strict but abusive and everything about Eddie stuck out like a sore thumb. He was called every slur in the book by his peers, got beat up consistently, found no comfort at home, and turned to hip-hop music as not only his favorite thing but his friend. Eddie was an angry child and couldn’t understand what was so different about him to warrant treatment like that. So he took to using his own words and his fists to keep him from getting hurt.

Eventually, Eddie did make friends but they were constantly getting in trouble. He was in detention on the daily, suspended nonstop, and loved drinking and drugs. However, one fateful conversation with his insanely stern father after his little brother narc-ed on him for drug use helped change his destructive downward spiral. Eddie began actually trying in school, became interested in his roots, and was determined to be a Chinese-American in his own way. Not how his parents want him to be, but how he wants to be.

After graduating high school, Eddie moved on to college and obtained his degrees. The problem was, he found no passion in the jobs that he could snag with his education. So he made a list of jobs that he wanted to have instead. Some of them were far fetched. Some of them were achievable and that was all the encouragement he needed to dive in. Eddie found solid footing as a stand up comedian but he wasn’t up to telling the same jokes night after night after night. After ditching comedy, Eddie turned to a new goal on his list: Open a restaurant.

Not only did Eddie love to eat, but he had a true love of cooking too. Everyone in his family was an excellent cook and all his life, he watched and learned. Eddie knew what he wanted in his own restaurant: A place where people could come to kick it and enjoy Chinese-Taiwanese food with sustainable ingredients and an affordable price. Thus, Baohaus was born on the Lower East Side of New York… The rest? You’re just going to have to read for yourself!

Holy WOW was Fresh Off The Boat a fun, occasionally heartbreaking, consistently hilarious, and inspiring read. As an avid fan of the TV show, I was expecting a lot of similarities between that and the book. While there were a fair amount of things that the show got right, the book turned what I thought I knew about the Huang family on its head. They weren’t a picture perfect family at all. Rather, a family that fought, hurt each other, and never had those classic heartwarming sitcom moments in the slightest. All the while, Eddie was in the middle just trying to find his own way.

I absolutely loved the way that Eddie wrote this book because it is written exactly how he speaks. It’s not perfect and that’s okay. What it is is real. A real person speaking about his real experiences as no one but himself. And who Eddie is is a driven, creative, talented, and damned funny to boot dude. There were countless instances as I read Fresh Off The Boat where I wasn’t just laughing out loud but cackling lol. Eddie told his own story in his own style and wasn’t afraid to make jokes at his own expense or anyone’s expense for that matter. For all of his shit talking, Eddie has a lot of heart and will inspire anyone, no matter where they’re from, to make their own way too.

Overall, I am going to rate Fresh Off The Boat with an eight out of ten stars. I really enjoyed reading it and am looking forward to digging into his other book, Double Cup Love, next!

What are you currently reading? Do you have a favorite memoir? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul26

Groovy Movies: I Know What You Did Last Summer Edition

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Groovy Movies: I Know What You Did Last Summer Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new edition of Groovy Movies! In a spoiler free setting, as always, we are going to be discussing the latest summer slasher, I Know What You Did Last Summer. When I ordered the tickets for the flick, the employee told me “I doubt it” lolol. Nice! This is bad but I did not see the original movie so I went into this reboot with zero expectations. I was, however, a huge fan of the author of the book, Lois Duncan, back in the day and knew I was in for a fun afternoon at the movie theater! Let’s get to it:

^^^ As always, I have no rights to this video!

Southport is a lux ocean town for the ultra wealthy, but that wasn’t always the case. In 1997, brutal murders of a group of friends by a hook wielding fisherman took place. Two survivors remained who will never forget while the Southport police did everything in their power to erase the past. After a fancy land developer took the reigns on the town, it turned into the posh place to be with stunning ocean views. Southport is moving forward and the heinous crimes that took place are the last thing on anyone’s mind as they day drink their lives away. It’s certainly the last thing on bride to be, Danica’s mind.

Danica and Teddy are soon to be married and their old crew is back for the celebrations. There’s Ava and Milo as well as a straggler of the group, Stevie, who joins them before the night is out. After a big engagement party, the friends decide to keep the party going with some drinking and driving, sparking up blunts, and heading to a winding road with the best view of fireworks for the Fourth of July. Teddy has gotten turnt and a dangerous game of chicken as fireworks light up the sky brings a car crashing down into the rocky cliff. Rather than call the police, Teddy calls his dad who is the police and will make it look like this never happened. All they have to do is keep their mouths shut.

Fast forward to a year later and the gang is back for Danica’s bridal shower. As she opens her prezzies, she picks up an envelope expecting cash inside. What she receives is a card with the warning “I know what you did last summer” and just as we were all expecting, shit is about to hit the fan. The hook and harpoon wielding fisherman is back with a vengeance and whoever it is won’t stop until Danica, Teddy, Milo, Ava, Stevie, and a newcomer are six feet under. Their only choice is to stick close together and seek out advice from a survivor of the 1997 massacre. Her answer is simple: Kill whoever it is before they kill you. Who will make it out alive? Watch I Know What You Did Last Summer to find out!

Now, I am well aware that I Know What You Did Last Summer has gotten extremely lackluster reviews. Myself, on the other hand, liked it a lot! Maybe it’s because I didn’t see the original or maybe it’s because I saw the movie for what is was: A straight to the point summer slasher. A popcorn movie that requires nothing from you but to jump in and put your hands up for the ride. Was it the best movie I have ever seen? Of course not. Did I have fun watching it? I sure did!

I Know What You Did Last Summer was often hilarious, had insane kills, and a cast that worked really well together. The core group of friends was easy to root for which allowed for me to literally jump in my seat during the jump scares. It was a classic story with fresh and exciting twists and turns that had me hooked (Pun intended!). If you are feeling wishy washy about seeing this movie because of an attachment to the original film, think of it as watching something completely different. Something brand new that’s meant to entertain. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking forward to watching it again with Johnny!

Overall, I am going to give I Know What You Did Last Summer a seven out of ten stars. I absolutely think it is worth seeing and I don’t think this movie’s reviews did it any justice!

Have you seen any movies this summer? Is there a movie coming out that you would like to see? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul25

Italian Fest Fun

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Italian Fest Fun

Howdy! In my neck of the woods, there is always something fun going on in Downtown Cuyahoga Falls. From performances and festivals to outdoor movie nights and big holiday events, it is a popular place to be. The area is lined with cute boutiques, tasty restaurants, and cozy bars and is the crowning jewel of CFalls. The festivals that take place include the Italian Fest, Irish Fest, and Oktoberfest and Johnny and his parents loved to go to all of them back in the day. Myself on the other hand? I have NEVER been to one Riverfront Fest and that really blew Johnny’s mind as I have lived in Cfalls my entire life. This past weekend was the Italian Fest and Johnny has been so anxious to take me to my very first one so we stopped by on Saturday. Check it out:

^^^ THE TANKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whenever Johnny talks about different Riverfront Fests, I always say the exact same thing: “So you just walk around and eat?” The answer is always a resounding YES and I now know that to be very true lol. When we got to the Riverfront, it was lined with food trucks of every kind imaginable. There were some vendors, games to play, and a band prepping to start but all I cared about was filling my stomach. I was starving!

My only request for the Italian Fest was that I absolutely had to get a fresh squeezed lemonade because it is one of my favorite summer treats. We decided to take a lap around to see which food truck we would order our lunch from. Blessedly, a lemonade stand was right at the beginning of our rounds and I basically ran to it and ordered myself a large cup. When Johnny caught up, he asked me why I didn’t get the fifteen dollar tanker and I told him I didn’t want to put him out because this date was on him. Even though my large lemonade was already ready, he asked the girls working the booth if I could have a Tanker too and they happily obliged. This freaking growler of lemonade was as hilarious as it was heavy and Johnny and I took turns toting it around and sipping liberally. It was DELICIOUS and we both plan on jokingly taking our Tanker to work as our water tumbler for the day. What a hoot! 🙂

Saturday was an incredibly hot day and we thought it would be better to grab some grub and take it home to eat. Us vampires can’t be in the sun for too long and we are trying to be much more cautious after the Great Sunburn of 2025 from Geneva On The Lake! Regardless of this plan, I was too damn hungry to not get at least a snack while we continued to scope out food trucks. I knew exactly what I wanted too – a huge piece of street corn from a local vendor. I have heard nothing but good things about Johnny Lote’s street corn and all of the rumors are true. It was divine and I could have knocked back several ears no problem. Johnny Lote’s food truck is always at the Akron Rubberducks games and I know what I will be getting next time we cheer on our home team to Duck Em Up. 😀

Johnny had talked up the Stromboli from the Italian Fest for so long and that’s what we decided to go with. As much as I would have loved some pasta, I wasn’t trying to have a steaming bowl of marinara on a hot AF day lol. We ordered a classic Stromboli for Johnny and a veggie one for me and I couldn’t wait to dig in. Since Johnny had been singing the Stromboli praises for forever, we thought we were both in for a treat. Sadly, it was quite possibly the worst Stromboli we have ever had. They were doughy, soggy, and had minimal fillings so it was pretty much just like eating soggy uncooked bread. It was SO disappointing and I was STILL hungry but at least I got my Tanker!!!!

The Italian Fest experience was exactly what I knew it would be: Walking around and eating food. But I am so glad that I got to go to my first one with Johnny and he was so proud to take me. We had a blast even if the Stromboli sucked!

Do you have a favorite food truck? Do you have an area similar to the Riverfront in your neck of the woods? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah