Tag Archives: lunch date

Nov23

Lunch Date OOTD

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Lunch Date OOTD

Howdy! This past weekend Johnny and I went on a fabulous lunch date to Boss ChickNBeer. We had the most fantastic meal, made some new friends, and found our new favorite restaurant! Since our plan was to dine and dash… Not literally lol as in dash to go back home, I opted for a casually cute OOTD. As soon as I got back home it was back into comfortably cute pajamas! I couldn’t wait to show off my amazing new TJMaxx cherry earrings and knew exactly what I wanted to wear to really make them pop. Check it out:

Who? What? Wear?

Cardigan: Jessica Simpson, TJMaxx

Crop Top: This was purchased forever ago from Target

Skinny Jeans: 1822 Denim, TJMaxx

Heeled Combat Boots: BCBG, TJMaxx

Cherry Earrings: Anthropologie, TJMaxx

The apple belt was legit purchased when I was a teenager from some stand in the mall lol

An outfit like this is about as casual as it gets for your girl without being in pajamas. I am one to dress for the occasion, however, and a lunch date definitely doesn’t call for dressing to the nines. Regardless, I still had a lot of fun with this look because of the accessories! I knew right where to start with this fit because I had already pictured pairing my cherry earrings with the cream colored Jessica Simpson cardi. The deep red cherries directly against this neutral sweater was just *chef’s kiss*. Also, can we talk about how pretty those raised flower decals are? This cardi is so soft and sweet and is the perfect one to wrap yourself in on a chilly fall day.

Next on the agenda was the outfit’s base. As I wanted cherry red to pop with the other fruit themed accessory I had up my sleeve, All Black Everything was the move. I slipped on my go to pair of skinnies by 1822 Denim as well as a little cropped number from Target. I’m pretty sure I got this top as a teenager but I refuse to part with it. It is so handy to have this basic essential to put on when you want to make other pieces in your outfit shine. Remember, simple is best when you want a statement piece to be the focal point in your fit.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. I started with my cherry bomb earrings, of course, and chose a pair of heeled combat boots by BCBG. Red and green are complimentary colors so I knew this pair would work. I didn’t want this look to be Christmas-y, though, and that was deterred by having the green all the way at the bottom. After the shoes and the earrings were on, I still wasn’t in love with this OOTD. So, I decided to add a bright red belt with apple clasps to the mix. That was much more like it! From the top down it went from pop of red to cream back to pop of red again for a tutti fruity surprise. With that, I was ready to hit the road for our Lunch Date!

These accessories made my Lunch Date OOTD a total blast with bursts of red for casual vibes with a fruity twist!

Do you have a favorite type of jewelry? Do you own any quirky accessories? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov20

Lunch Date

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Lunch Date

Hello!! Johnny and I had a fabulous weekend that involved family, friends, and good food. Our nieces came over for a slumber party on Friday, we had an amazing lunch date on Saturday, and I got to chat with my blogging bestie afterwards. Johnny has a deep love for the Popeye’s chicken sandwich and recently made great use of their buy one get one free sandwich promotion. I have been a vegetarian for upwards of twenty years and even though it has been so long since I have ate meat, my mouth still waters at the sight of those chicken sandwiches. They just look SO. Damn. Good. With that recent craving in mind, I knew exactly where I wanted to go for lunch…

Boss ChickNBeer! And no, they do not just serve chicken – they have a fully vegan menu as well. Everything on their normal menu can be made with cauliflower or tofu so people with dietary restrictions have plenty of options. It’s awesome! This is a specific to my area of Ohio restaurant that was founded my two women and has three other locations besides the one ten minutes away from me. I have always wanted to try it and my only regret was not doing so sooner in the year or so since they have been open. It was absolutely delicious and we plan on going back ASAFP.

As soon as we walked into the restaurant, we bellied up to the bar and within seconds we realized that this was going to be an excellent experience. No sooner than we were seated, we were greeted by the general manager and began to gab. He introduced himself, asked us for our names, and explained the story of the restaurant and the menu too. All the while, The Humpty Dance was playing on the speakers, which I told him how much I appreciated lol. We got to talking about music and it was like talking to a friend. He told us that a manager at an old job once told him to talk to the people you are serving like they’re a friend at a backyard barbecue. It sure worked because we were cutting it up with all of the employees throughout our meal and it was just FUN. Old school hip hop playing, cracking jokes, and telling stories. I’ve never had a dining experience like it and we both loved it!

The restaurant vibe was a twenty out of ten and the food scores the same marks because holy WOW. Johnny opted for the tender meal and I went for the cauliflower wings with a side of their queso mac. As we sipped on our apple cider beer that tasted like a cabin, as per Johnny’s description, we could see the food being made right before our eyes. All the while, we were getting to know our new friends better. Our food arrived speedy quick and felt even more so as we were immersed in conversation. We couldn’t wait to dig in and every bite was like a little slice of heaven.

My queso mac was out of this world crazy good. It was creamy and cheesy with a little kick and I am so excited to get it again. It was the best mac n cheese from a restaurant I have ever had. The cauliflower wings were crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside and tasted great with their homemade gold sauce. This meal was a vegetarian’s dream come true. As for Johnny, his French fries were crisp and perfectly seasoned and sent his compliments to the staff for being the best chicken he has ever had. The tenders were huge and he was so happy to have some to bring back home so he could eat it again! He dipped his tenders in the Ghostface Killah sauce which was the hottest on the menu. Despite its high ranking, it was tolerable as it provided heat without feeling like it was going to burn your tongue off. I really liked it too and want to get it next. 😀

This local chain has turned everything we thought about going to a restaurant on its head. It was such a personable, friendly atmosphere. Everyone seated at the bar was talking with each other, the staff knew patrons by name, and it was all complimented by a fantastic meal. In fact, the couple we were sitting by was from Pittsburgh and whenever they come to the area, they go to Boss ChickNBeer every time. Who can blame them? It was that good!

As soon as we left the restaurant, Johnny and I began making plans. When we were going next and who to invite for double dates. It can’t be soon enough!

What is your favorite local restaurant? What other local businesses do you like to frequent? 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

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

Sep25

Date Day OOTD

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Date Day OOTD

Hello everyone and welcome to a brand new OOTD here on lifewithlilred! Yesterday we discussed a lovely little Date Day from this past weekend and no date day would be complete without a killer outfit. During the work week, Johnny and I do the bare minimum when it comes to getting ready for work. When we have plans over the weekend, however, it’s a totally different story! Both of us are incredibly passionate about fashion so when we step out, we always do so in our Sunday best. Here is what I wore for our out and about adventure:

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Who? What? Wear?

Flutter Sleeve Top: Japna, TJMaxx

Distressed Skinny Jeans: American Eagle Outfitters

Two Toned Loafers: Steve Madden, Walmart

Mustard Yellow Purse: Chillx By LeMiel, TJMaxx

While my heart is screaming fall, the weather in Ohio has yet to catch up and we are still experiencing summer like temperatures. This is not ideal for Johnny and me because 1) We hate hot weather. And 2) As soon as September hits I fall back into the routine of wearing jeans again, stop shaving my legs, and have no desire for anyone else to see the old woolly mammoths should I wear shorts lol. The name of the game for this weather is ventilation – staying cool and breezy despite not wearing fully summer appropriate clothes. With that in mind, I knew exactly what to do to keep myself comfortable and I most definitely was all day!

For starters, I slipped on a darling little number by Japna for the top. Other than green being one of my favorite colors to wear, this shirt was chosen more for practicality’s sake. The material is so light, the back is slightly open, and the cropped style matched the word of the day of ventilation. And, of course, I just can’t get enough of those flutter sleeves! They provided the most amazing movement every time the wind picked up and I felt like a butterfly taking off… Most of the time, anyways. You’ll see what I mean in the blooper reel so peep that coming soon. 😀

For pantaloons, I chose my all time favorite pair of distressed skinnies from American Eagle Outfitters. Talk about ventilation, am I right?! The holes on the thighs of these jeans are massive, so much so that it almost did feel like wearing shorts. Although these jeans are pretty old, they still have retained their jet black original appearance because I avoid washing them like the plague – the last thing they need is more holes! Because the black denim was still nice and crispy, it helped compliment the same color striping on the top even more.

Finally, it was onto shoes and accessories. Now, normally, I am not a matchy matchy kind of gal. However, I had to make an exception in this case because the two toned Steve Madden loafers were just too perfect to not wear with this look. Was the green on the soles of the loafers a perfect match to the top? No, and that’s okay because they were close enough and still formed top to bottom cohesion. For accessories, I selected a few bracelets and my signature pair of dangly black cross earrings and I was ready to step out with my honey!

I felt dynamite in my Date Day OOTD and I loved how it turned out. A great day deserves a great outfit too!

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

Sep24

Date Day!

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Date Day!

Howdy!! These past few weeks have been insanely busy for me and Johnny and by the time the weekends rolled around, we were too wiped out to do much of anything. After a lull in the craziness, I couldn’t wait for this weekend because Johnny and I made plans for a date day on Saturday. Date days are my absolute favorite thing in the world and it was so nice to get dressed up and go out with my main squeeze after a few sedentary weekends in a row. We hit up both of our happy place stores (Can you guess mine?!) and one of our happy place restaurants too. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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On Friday night, Johnny asked one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard… “Can we go to TJMaxx on Saturday?”. It was literal music to my ears and the answer was a resounding YES. A few years ago, Johnny had an amazing haul of spooky themed socks from TJs and was hoping to find more. This is where our date day began and, unfortunately, there were no spooky socks to be found. We did, however, walk away with a few treats for ourselves including a fabulous new addition to our Halloween decor. It is one of my new favorite things so be sure to peep that later!

After a semi successful bout of shopping, we were both famished and made our way to Barrio for lunch next. Barrio is an Ohio thing where you can build your own tacos. The order sheet looks like a test you would take at school when you have to fill in bubbles for your answer, but you never have to worry about getting anything wrong! It is one of our go to restaurants whenever we are in the general vicinity and it never gets old despite the fact that I get the same thing every single time lol. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it! We got tacos for there, tacos to go, and obvi had to get a few margs too. Johnny opted for a flight with a bunch of tropical flavors while I went with my usual – lime, on the rocks, salt on the rim. I was in heaven. ❤

To end our date, we went to Johnny’s store selection called The Exchange which is a buy, sell, trade for video games, movies, records, and everything in between. We were on the hunt to further expand Johnny’s already massive record collection and we did so with some Ghost and Alice Cooper. Then, we returned home to watch Winnie the Pooh Blood & Honey lol. It was just as ridiculous as it sounds but surprisingly really entertaining. Afterwards, we put our new records to good use as the soundtrack to play Diablo IV to. They set the vibe perfectly!

As always, our Date Day was the best day with the best company. Stay tuned for the OOTD from our little adventure!

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

Aug28

Weekend Fun

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Weekend Fun

Hello everyone! I don’t know about all of you, but I had a fantastic weekend. Well, it was fantastic until I got randomly sick on Sunday night. I spent a majority of the night awake with a scratchy throat and low grade fever. It was absolutely miserable and I ended up having to call off on Monday to catch some extra Zs and recuperate. Everything leading up to that was awesome and jam packed with a lot of fun. It was a bit of a rough week so I definitely needed it!

On Friday, Johnny and I spent the evening going shooting at Range USA with our neighbor, Tony. It had been a long while since we hit up the range together and we were all looking forward to it. After work, we loaded up in Tony’s car and made our way to Range USA. Tony is seriously the best neighbor in the world and we love spending time with him to shoot the breeze, watch movies, and have dinner parties – and go shooting on occasion! We made use of every minute of our hour time slot at the range shooting .22s and Tony was able to give me lots of pointers. This was only the third time I have been to the range and it really helped. I even got a few bullseyes. 😀

Once we were home from shooting, Johnny and I took it easy for the rest of the night because we had Saturday plans too. On Saturday afternoon, I had a lunch outing with one of my best girlfriends and then Johnny and I were going to go to another one of my best girlfriend’s birthday party. Lunch was divine and before I knew it, over three hours had passed at the Mexican restaurant while we sipped drinks and chatted away. As always, once the girl talk starts it is damn near impossible to stop! It had been way too long since I was able to get together with her and I can’t wait to do it more often.

Unfortunately, Johnny ended up not feeling great on Saturday so I had to fly solo to Lea’s birthday party. I admit, I was a bit anxious to go without my main squeeze. I don’t hang out in groups a lot, much less a group of people that I went to high school with lol. I put on a brave face because I knew that I would have as much fun as I decided to have. So, I decided to have fun. I ended up staying way past when I told Johnny I would be home because I was enjoying myself so much. I truly do come alive at events and it was really nice to catch up with lots of familiar faces. I’m even getting coffee with one of the girls who I talked a lot with soon. I’m excited!!

Despite ending the weekend on a sour note, the build up sure was a blast. Being a tad bit under the weather was a small price to pay for tons of fun!

Do you keep in touch with people you went to high school with? Do you like hanging out in group settings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb24

Terrific Trench Coat OOTD Bloopers

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Terrific Trench Coat OOTD Bloopers

Hello darlings and welcome to the blooper reel from my Terrific Trench Coat OOTD! I had been looking forward to wearing my new Solitaire trench coat since I got it and finally got to break it out this past Saturday. Johnny and I enjoyed a very lazy three day weekend together and the only thing we did was get lunch with my sister and nieces. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Meson, and it was divine as always. There is nothing like having a go to restaurant that hits just right every time! Maybe it was a bad idea wearing a brand new coat for a lunch date with my two fave little ladies, but everything turned out A-okay! These pics, not so much? Check it out:

Here’s looking at you, kid

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WTF is this face?! Yikes!

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This one is only slightly better than the last smh!

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Potentially the freaking WORST!

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Looking like I just ate something incredibly sour

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Serving straight SASS APPEAL look out!

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Being around my nieces is such a blooper in and of itself. Raya is a year and a half old and Val will be turning five in March. They are at that age when literally everything they do and say is hilarious. The girls are nonstop energy and joy and I don’t think it’s humanly possible for them to sit still. In fact, with the cheerful music playing in the restaurant, Val just had to get up and dance and TT joined in for a twirl or two, or ten lol. Raya even did her best with a little side stepping action in that adorable way that only tiny walkers can. 😀

One of my fondest memories of Val is kind of a silly one. Two years ago when we took Kristen out for her birthday to Bomba (A new age Mexican eatery), our waitress approached the table. Before she had the chance to greet us, Val proudly proclaimed “Hi, I want cheese dip”. I was in stitches and also proud that she knew exactly what she wanted! Cheese dip is still a delicacy to Val Gal and we have to get some for her (And me to share!) whenever we go out to eat. This past time included. It’s nice to know that some things are never going to change no matter how old they get. ❤

A lunch date with all three of our best girls is just what Johnny and I needed. So glad I have my circle of people that I can depend on to always get Mexican food with me!

What is your favorite restaurant? Is your favorite food when you were little something that you still like now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah