Cruising Cali in the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SEL

Special Thanks to Mitsubishi Motors for loaning me the car for the week. 

All thoughts expressed are my own.

So it's been a few weeks since my California vacation and I couldn't have been happier with being able to get around Southern California in style with the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SEL. When considering a vehicle, I had to have something that was good on gas milage, had great trunk space, and other features perfect for traveling.

If you live on the East Coast like I do, you may not have any idea just how high the gas prices are out in California. Typically in New Jersey, we are currently paying around $2.60 for gas, however in California, gas prices reach at least a whole dollar more. That's crazy! Thankfully, the Mitsubishi Outlander gets about 30 highway miles per gallon! Also with the ECO mode you can monitor your driving to get the most MPG possible. This was so helpful because there were times when I would actually see my MPG increase by the way I was driving. If you're considering a new vehicle this is such a plus because with the raise and slight fall of gasoline, you'll want to get the biggest bang for your buck.

When you're going on any vacation truck space is always a factor. No one likes having too much luggage and running out of trunk space. Granted, we didn't have a lot of luggage because we were trying to avoid checking bags, but there was plenty of room for more including groceries and souvenirs.

Let's talk about features. Two of my favorite features in the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport are the 7" Touchscreen Display Audio System and the Panoramic Roof! When it comes to driving I like to be as hands free as possible. This car comes standard with an amazing touchscreen display that is AndroidAuto and Apple Carplay ready. This allows you to speak directly to your device through Bluetooth wireless technology to give commands like "Call Hubby", "Navigate to Disneyland", and "Text Mom, We'll meet you there". Sirus XM is an option to help you blast your favorite road trip songs through the Rockford Fosgate premium sound system so you create your own Carpool Karaoke moments.

And what's a vacation without being able to take in all the sights. The Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has a HUGE panoramic roof so you don't miss a thing! It glides from the front row to the back seats so that everyone can get a beautiful view of your surroundings. (In my case, it was the palm trees.) So cool!

Of course, there are some great safety features like the rear camera system, lane departure warning, and the forward collision mitigation, which I got to experience thanks to LA traffic. It takes state of the art features like that to help you feel safe. If you are interested in taking the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SEL for a test drive, visit MitsubishiCars.com to find a dealer near you. While you're there check out plenty more features that come standard on Outlander models and some special add-ons to make your car stand out.

Looking for more on the Mitsubishi Outlander Collection? Check out my review on the Mitsubishi Outlander LE.

My Favorite Birthday Freebies

Happy Monday! September is my birthday month and every year I look forward to getting tons of freebies from some of my favorite brands. Of course, to get most of these freebies you have to sign up to be on their email list or sometimes download their app, but you might find some of these worth it. One of the things, I enjoy about these freebies, is that it gives you the chance to try new restaurants, get something new and treat yo'self! If you like getting free things, coupons and little surprises then keep reading! Keep in mind that these offers change almost every year, so as time goes on I'll try to keep them updated. Enjoy!

Rack Room Shoes - $10 off your purchase
Starbucks - Free Treat (Beverage or Food)
Saladworks - Free Salad
Ulta - Free Gift! (2018) IT Cosmetic Deluxe Superhero Mascara
Bouqs - $10 off
Boston Market - Free desert or regular side with individual meal purchase
Benihana - $30 off gift certificate for a dinner Monday to Friday
Baskin Robbins - Free kids scoop
IHOP - Free pancakes
Red Lobster - Free dessert, Free Bowl of Soup, Free Signature Shrimp Cocktail
True Food Kitchen - Free dessert
Urban Outfitters - 20% off your purchase of $50 or more
Ikea - Free meal + 15% off your purchase
Cold Stone - Buy one, Get one free
Dave & Buster's - $10 free play
McCormick & Schmick's - Free desert
Buffalo Wild Wings - $5 off $25
UNO's - $10 off $25
On the Border - Free Queso or Brownie Sundae
Famous Dave's - Buy One, Get One 50% off
California Pizza Kitchen - Free Dessert
Pizza Hut - Free Cinnamon Sticks
TGI Fridays - Free Dessert
Hot Topic - $5 Reward
Sephora - (2018) GlamGlow Mini Supermud Clearing Treatment + the GlamGlow mini Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturizer in Nude Glow or Bite Beauty Mini Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Chai, Mini Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Glace, Agave Lip Treatment Sample Duo
Brio - $10 off
Auntie Anne's - Free Pretzel
Anthropologie - 15% off your purchase
P.F. Chang's -  Free Appetizer or Dessert
Chick-fil-a - Free Surprise (not sure what it is until your birthday)
Red Robin - Free Burger
Krispy Kreme - Free Doughnut and Coffee
Melting Pot - Free Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Yokohama Japanese Restaurant - Free Dinner
American Eagle Outfitters - 15 off your purchase
Abercrombie - Double Points + 25% off your purchase all month long
South Moon Under- 20% off one item
CVS - Free Nail Polish
Hollister - Double Points + 25% off your purchase all month long
Foot Locker -$10 off $50 or $25 off $100
Express - Double Points
Charming Charlie - $5 off
Zinburger - Free Shake
Shop Disney - 20% off your purchase

Have one that's not mentioned on this list? Leave a comment below and share what it is!

The Void at Downtown Disney: Star Wars Secrets of the Empire Experience

Special thanks to The Void for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and expressions are my own.

During my recent vacation to Southern California, covering Disneyland was on top of my list and what's a trip to Disneyland without visiting Downtown Disney. If your not familiar with Downtown Disney, it's a spot on Disney property where you can experience a piece of Disney magic without going into the parks. While there you can enjoy exquisite dining, unique shopping experiences, and top entertainment. One of those entertainment attractions is The Void at Downtown Disney! There you can be apart of the Star Wars Secrets of the Empire a full sensory, immersive experience! This attraction takes you on a journey like no other to a galaxy far, far away.

This is a great experience for a family to enjoy with children over the age of 10, especially if you're a Star Wars fan! My son, Darius really loved it! If you ever thought about what it would be like to join The Rebellion and fight against The Dark Side, Star Wars Secrets of the Empire puts you right in the thick of it. It feels like you jumped right in the middle of your own movie! This experience engages all of your senses (okay, maybe not taste) to make this a fully enjoyable quest. You'll see some of your favorite characters from the Stars Wars films (not telling any secrets) and work together as a team disguised as Stormtroopers to travel to the molten planet of Mustafar. I think the most mind blowing part is there were moments where I totally forget that it was virtual reality!


I definitely recommend this as a must see/must do attraction and the best part about it is it's in both Disneyland, CA and Walt Disney World, FL, so no matter which area you visit, you can get in on the action! Planning your next trip to Disney? Buy your tickets online and pick a day and time that works best for you. I promise you, you won't regret it!

Back to Work with Dynamite

This post contains affiliate links, however the thoughts and expressions are my own.

Labor Day Weekend has come and gone which sadly means summer is coming to a close. Hopefully you were able to spend a significant amount of time outdoors soaking up the sun. If you're a recent college graduate you may need to go shopping for some new work attire and begin adulting. For some of you, this may be a new journey and you're not sure where to start. Thankfully Dynamite has recently released their "Back to Work" Collection with looks perfect for pairing. All of the items in the collection can easily mix and match to give you professional looking options without sacrificing your personal flair and trendy style.

Here are my top 5 picks from the Dynamite "Back to Work" Collection.

#1 Dynamite Satin V-Neck Cami SILKY CLOUD $19.95

This satin v-neck cami gives you endless layering options. Pair it with a jacket, ayer it with a dress, or just wear it alone.

#2 Dynamite Knitted Midi Skirt BLACK/WHITE HOUNDSTOOTH $39.95


Houndstooth is a classic fall pattern that never goes out of style and can be pulled off at any age. This skirt is also a very flattering length and creates an elongated silhouette.

#3 Dynamite Open Maxi Blazer Cognac $49.95

I love an open maxi blazer! Not only will it keep you warm on cooler nights, but they're so comfortable and can be worn in many different ways.

#4  Dynamite Belted T-Shirt Dress JET BLACK $44.95


Who doesn't love the ease of a t-shirt dress? It's lightweight material is perfect for those days were you'll be constantly on the go. Pair this dress with a pair of your favorite booties and you'll even be ready for happy hour later.

#5  Dynamite Cindy High Rise Paperboy Pant $49.95



Paperbag Pants are on everyone's Fall must have list. This tummy-friendly high waisted pant looks best with tucked in shirt or bodysuit.

Love any of these looks? Enjoy 15% off all orders + free shipping on $40 at Dynamite! Use code DYNAMITE15 at checkout. Offer available to US customers only.

#FashionFriday: Frilly

Ever wish you could create your own clothing? Is the thought of fully customizing everything from the fabric to the hardware excite you? Then Frilly.com is for you! Everything on Frilly.com is made to order by you with endless possibilities. You can choose from a wide array of garments and styles to put your personal stamp on.

Here's how it works: First, you would start with a baseline style. Just as an example, I picked the Christy Button Up VI for $120. Then I chose the color, Barbados Cherry, and clicked customize the style.

Once you select the color, you can browse through the other options to further customize your piece. For this top, I was able to change the Bodice, Contrast Inset, Buttons, Hemline, Chest Pocket, Neckline, and Sleeve.

For the end result, I only changed the crop hemline, and dropped the sleeves because I liked the contrast of the buttons and the bold, square pockets.

It would take about 10 days to receive the order and it comes with free shipping and free returns, which is always a plus!  I think this site would be perfect for any special occasion or if you're trying to match something or someone who already has a specific look or maybe you're just looking for something you can't find anywhere else. So, what do you think? Could you see yourself using Frilly.com? What type of look would you create?

So Long Summer, Hello September

We always talk about how fast summer goes, even though it has the longest days of the year. To help cope with it coming to an end, I find it fun to go through my photos at the end of a season to see what sort of things I was able to accomplish. I remember telling myself, "no wasted days this summer" and I think I did a pretty good job of sticking to that. Taking every opportunity and do something fun, if able. So my summer kicked off dancing to Kendrick Lamar at the B.B.& T Pavilion in Camden, NJ. We later went back to see Kevin Hart for a more chill evening. My summer was also full of family gatherings. From my big brother coming up from Miami, FL to Aunts and Uncles and Cousins from all over. It was great to enjoy those moments together.

This summer I really wanted to enjoy a day at the beach since it was about 2 years from my last visit. One of my favorite beaches in New Jersey is the Island Beach State Park. The water there is blue, the beaches are clean and there's tons of parking. Since we were close to the shore, we navigated our way to 10th Ave Burrito, a spot we found on Diner's, Drive-ins, and Dives. The food was good and the portions were pretty large.

Another spot we ate at this summer was called ZOUP!, a soup and sandwich shop! They have several locations in the Philadelphia area. At first you might think it seems a little weird eating soup in the summertime, but those first few summer months were a little chilly. Before dining at ZOUP!, we enjoyed a day at the UPenn Museum in Philadelphia (you can read more about that here) and found some amazing designer handbags at Closet Mentor.  Another local trip we enjoyed was visiting Johnson's Farm in Medford, NJ. There we went blueberry and corn picking, feed some farm animals and went on a hayride. I'm looking forward to going back again this fall for apple and pumpkin picking, too.

Something I didn't expect to do this summer was to go rollerskating at the Blue Cross River Rink. My girl Delilah from Delilah and Co. partnered up with HBO to host Mixtapes and Rollerskates. I haven't been on skates in so long, but after a few laps around the rink it started to come back to me.

Last, but not least, was our big family vacation to California! We stayed in Palm Springs, CA, went to Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, and Disneyland California Adventure. We had a blast out there and I will definitely be sharing more on that in a later post.

So as you can see this summer had a lot going on. I had a great time and truly enjoyed every minute of it.

Now that it's September, it's time to settle down and get into a new routine. My son will be starting the 5th grade in a new school, which is exciting. NYFW starts today! However, due to my work schedule, I'm not sure how many shows I'm be able to attend, but I would love to go up there at least once or twice. September is also my birthday month and I will be taking advantage of all the freebies that come with it. (Maybe I'll do a post on that, too. Leave a comment below if you're interested.) And of course, getting back into the gym is on my list.

Other then that, I will be getting ready for my next trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL! We go every year and I can't wait to experience the all new Toy Story Land and the Food and Wine Festival! Pratically all of New Jersey goes down to Disney this time of year because the children have off from school for the NJ Teachers Convention. If you're going let me know if a comment below!

Okay! I think that about wraps up Summer 2018! I can't wait to see what the Fall has in store for us. What are your plans this month and for the rest of the season? I would love to hear what you're up to!
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Back to School Shopping Under $30 at Primark

Whether you're going back to school in the fall or just looking to spruce up your wardrobe, one place you'll definitely want to hit up is Primark. Honestly, it's been a while since my last trip to Primark, mostly because of the distance, but I may have to pay them a visit. Primark is a great place to find everything you need to outfit the whole family just in time for the cooler weather.  From outerwear to shoes, jeans and anything else you can think of, this spot has it all at prices that will blow your mind! Here's a few items I'm sure you (or someone you know) would love to get their hands on all under $30!