{Let's Celebrate!} Popsugar Must Have Box Turns Five!

If you're like me, it doesn't take much to get you in the mood for a celebration.  And when my August PopSugar Must Have Box arrived in the mail recently, it was just the indulgence I needed.  As a resident girly girl, it was right up my alley.  From beauty treatments, to a stylish journal, to glitter candles (my personal favorite), a gorgeous confetti tray, chocolate chunk cookies (yes, you read that right), and more, I've been like a kid in a candy store. 

But that's not the only reason this month's box is special.  The August Must Have Box also marks the five year anniversary of this lifestyle favorite.  And to keep the celebration in high gear,  PopSugar Must Have is doing weekly giveaways!

All current subscribers are eligible--and if you're not a subscriber yet, not to worry.  Simply sign-up before the end of August to get in on the fun and chances to win.  And use the discount code 'PARTY' to receive a $10 discount off of your first box if you order by August 31st.

Here's to more celebrations and many more years of curated goodies!

Happy Birthday Must Have Box!

POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX: Indulge, Pamper, Celebrate

Earlier this week a wonderful package arrived to my sheer delight and excitement.  And as soon as I opened my October 2014 POPSUGAR MUST HAVE BOX, I knew I had every reason to feel the way I did.  

Indulgent, delicious, and filled with goodies made for pampering, I couldn't keep this all to myself.  From candles to candies to beauty and bath and more, there's really something for everyone.  So here's what's inside:

Happy Socks

Warm and cozy leopard-print socks perfect for the cooler temps now (happysocks.com)

butter LONDON  

A blendable WINK Eye Pencil in Earl Grey that's great for achieving an effortless look for day or something more dramatic, like a smokey eye, for night. (butterlondon.com)

Isaac Jacobs International  

An acrylic frame that's durable, chic--and great for displaying your special memories. (isaacjacobs.com)

Mine Design 

A supremely fragrant Chalkboard Candle.  Made out of soy, it's reusable and rewritable, so you can send the perfect message every time. (minedesignhome.com)

Dean & Deluca 

Pumpkin Spice Balls made with real pumpkin spices and dipped in dark chocolate; they perfectly capture the flavor of Fall. (deandeluca.com)

Nailed Kit  

Nail art decals that are fun, festive and easy to apply. (nailedit.com)

Bonus!: K. Hall Designs

Shoreline Shea Butter/Olive Oil Bar Soap--the moisturizing and refreshing treatment your skin will love, especially as the colder months approach. (khalldesigns.com)

And not to fret.  You can get your own MUST HAVE BOX subscription at a special discounted rate from now through November 2, 2014. Simply go here and enter the code OCT10Select to save $10 off a 3-month subscription. 

Happy Indulging!

Disclosure: POPSUGAR provided me with a complimentary POPSUGAR Must Have box. The opinions I have shared about the box are my own and POPSUGAR did not tell me what to say or how to say it.

{POPSUGAR MUST HAVE}: Summer In a Box!

Summer called and just in time for the upcoming holiday weekend, your essentials for a stylishly fun season await!  Beauty, fashion, fun, snacks and more make for perfect afternoons by the pool or oceanfront.  And the before the month wraps, you can get everything delivered to your door in POPSUGAR's June Must Have Box!

Featured Clockwise: Wild and Wolf's Ridley's Game Room "Who Am I?" Quiz | Hat Attack Neutral Diamonds-Printed Sarong | Pacifica Deodorant Wipes | Knock Knock Compact | Sisters of Los Angeles "Cheers" Gold Bottle Opener | NCLA Born on the 4th Nail Lacquer | Sriracha Pressels 

Happy Summer Living!

Disclosure: POPSUGAR sent me this Must Have Box to try. All opinions are my own.

D.M.R. Fine Foods, The Blog, Celebrates 10 Years (Pt. 2)

I'm excited to be back sharing more of the highlights and experiences that have made my D.M.R. Fine Foods blogging journey truly rewarding to date.  And I trust that the best is yet to come!  

In this installment, we're going down memory lane for the years of 2013-2015, and believe me when I tell you that they were some of the most progressive and thrilling years, following the amazing-ness of the early years.  So without further ado, let's keep this party train rolling!

2013

2013 highlights brought on the likes of amazing collaborations, including being a founding member of Popsugar Food Select which would segue into the publishing of five of my original recipes on the Popsugar platform and inclusion in additional round-ups, being acknowledged as Blogger of the Week among the cadre of fellow talented bloggers, and sponsored/ambassador campaigns for the Popsugar Must Have Box in the years to follow.  

My collaborations continued as a contributing blogger with the Travelista TV brand, expanding my reach for sharing my travel passion, tips and savvy with fellow travelistas far and wide.  Annnd, I saw another dream come true, as I embarked on my first (of several fully-sponsored/hosted) press trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Furthering my voice as a travel journalist and working with tourism authorities, all while taking in the best of a destination, couldn't have been more thrilling and fueling to keep indulging my passions with wild abandon.

2014

And then there was 2014!!! With momentum from the previous years flowing nicely, 2014 highlights brought even more awe-inspiring experiences.  I caught the bug for teaching culinary skills and techniques, while making food a fun and delicious endeavor, during my William-Sonoma days and in 2014 ultimately parlayed that into the realization of  my very own cooking school. (Can you say, dream fulfilled?!). As the pop-up concept was starting to catch on, and with a full-time corporate career in tow, I decided on a pop-up concept that would launch in the Spring of 2014 to raving success.  You can take in more of the amazing highlights from my Techniques and Tastings (TM) Pop Up Cooking School--and stay tuned for future offerings from this well-beloved DMRFF offering.

And if my cooking school wasn't enough, I added another pop up concept, in the way of my Holiday Pop Up Shop, to the mix with our initial launch in December of 2014.  My love of sharing my food with the "masses" beyond the world of media and bespoke cooking classes, was realized in this one-day format where I brought forth many of the recipes that had become customer favorites from my Holiday Sweets and Treats Menu catering days.  Again, I say, stay tuned for more on this front!

I also continued furthering my media and collaboration footprint covering events like the Taste of Atlanta Food Festival, restaurant reviews, being a contributing writer to the Travel Noire platform and crowning the year with another epic, hosted press trip and tourism collaboration to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands!

2015

The hits just kept on coming with my 2015 highlights!  

I experienced more epic travel forays to new destinations (like Argentina and Uruguay) and repeat favorites (hello Paris and London and NYC), and more, to satisfy my travel passion. 

Back on the media/collaboration front, my footprint expanded to more festivals, including the highly regarded Atlanta Food and Wine Festival, along with more restaurant and food industry event reviews, including Restaurant Week indulgences and more.  I was also honored to have my first of four recipes, to date, published on the FeedFeed!

There was also the matter of having the James Beard Foundation give a nod to my food, accompanied by an award of dinner for two at the James Beard House!!!!! It still remains one of the most special memories in my journey to date--and a night I'll always remember. 

My byline credits expanded to include a lifestyle piece in the June 2015 issue of Upscale Magazine; another honor, indeed.  

And then there was yet another dream come true, as I received my first media invitation to cover the Daniel Silverstain SS16 New York Fashion Week collection (eeek!!!). To know me is to know my life-long (as in adolescent years forward) passion for fashion and my dream of attending fashion week someday.  

And to be clear, all of these highlights were in parallel with blogging my heart out here and staying connected through my social media channels. From 2010 until now, that has always been the format.

So much amazing-ness, so many memories, so much more goodness still to share.  I keep pinching myself and thanking God for all the richness this journey has served (and continues to add) to my life and expression as a creative.  Thank you for being here and for allowing me to share many of the good things that continue to make it worthwhile.  Stay tuned for more in the days ahead. :)

Happy Holidays!

Dawn