A Polished Palate Turns 2!!

I can't believe I almost missed posting this! Maybe it's because I've got my wedding anniversary and my birthday on my mind, both of which are quickly approaching. But today I'm celebrating two years of blogging! It has been such a fun journey, meeting new people along the way, learning new things from others and using this platform as a creative outlet. Although I may not get around to writing as much as I would like to, I'm still proud of myself for not giving up. 

Last year I celebrated with a post reflecting on the things I've learned through my blogging journey. I didn't create a new list this year because I still stand by the things I previously mentioned. I did want to share a look back on some of my favorite posts (found at the bottom of this post).

I did want to add a special thank you to those that have supported me along the way, especially my husband. Also, a thank you to those that I have partnered that have allowed me to experience and share some great products. 

1. You don't have to post everyday.

 When I first began my blog, I felt the need to post content every single day. I began to realize that it's more about quality over quantity. It's okay if I don't have a post everyday, and quite honestly, it's normal. Life is busy and I want my blog to remain enjoyable, and for that reason I decided to stop putting so much pressure on myself to create content five days a week.

2. Writer's block can and will happen.

 There are times when I've found myself staring at my computer screen, searching for the right words to express my thoughts. I've actually spent hours scouring the internet in hopes of sparking an idea for an interesting topic to discuss. I've realized that sometimes I just need to step away and clear my mind. On multiple occasions,  I've come up with great post ideas while laying in bed at night or while I'm in the shower. It's when I have a clear mind and I'm not focusing so hard, that I come up with some of my favorite posts.

3. Supporting other bloggers through commenting is an appreciated gesture.

 When I first started this blog, I often wondered if anyone was even reading. I then thought back to the times when I had come across great blog posts but never left a comment, or shared my thoughts with the blogger. I really enjoy receiving comments on my blog. It reminds me that there are people out there reading and that I'm not just talking to myself. So the next time you come across a good post, share a little positive feedback. :)

4. Patience is important.

Patience, it's definitely not my middle name. I try very hard to remind myself that "good things come to those who wait." After just a few months of blogging, several people would ask me if I had any companies reaching our for collaborations yet. I would get frustrated when my answer was no, and often had to remind myself that it doesn't happen overnight. Blogging takes time and effort. Companies want to see that your are putting your best content out there and that you aren't going to disappear overnight. It took me a while to realize this, but I finally did. I by no means have a ton of collaboration experience, however I've recently started receiving a few inquiries here and there. It takes time for people to realize you exist and it took time for me to understand that. Patience is key.

5. You will make some great friends along the way. 

From attending blogger events to getting to know someone via the web, blogging has opened a door to new friendships for me. I've made friends with people that I haven't ever actually met in person. I've also met a lot of new friends through blogger socials and local events. For me, blogging has filled a void. From being on the cheerleading squad in high school, joining a sorority in college to being a part of other various groups, I've always been a social person. I realized that I needed some sort of social activity in my life after moving to Charleston and starting my job, which is one reason I decided to start blogging. I'm so thankful for the new friends I've made, and I look forward to meeting more!

Thanks for reading!

A look back on a few of my favorite posts:
Tomato Pie
New York City
Weekly Workouts
Bald Head Island, NC
Spinach and Cilantro Meatballs
South Walton Food Film Festival
Thoughts on Thursday
Apple Pie Rolls
Dixie Southern Vodka

Hurricane Matthew | South Carolina

I am extremely grateful to be sitting here writing this post. The devastation Hurricane Matthew left behind for many is truly heartbreaking. My thoughts and prayers are with those that lost loved ones, their homes, businesses and those that are yet to be able to return home to asses the damage. 

I am so relieved to be safe and sound back home in Charleston, with only flooding in our neighborhood and thankfully no damage. The past few days have been long, preparing for something that was not entirely predictable. I don't have many pictures to share.

After boarding up windows and securing things around our home, my husband and I evacuated on Friday afternoon to my parents house. Although they don't live too far away and were still under the same weather conditions, their county had not been evacuated and flooding is less likely in their area. We lost power around 1 a.m. leaving us in the pitch black dark listening to the wind whipping through the trees. The sounds were so eerie, preventing little sleep from taking place.

Saturday morning we woke up to a yard full of branches, a few shingles and some downed trees in the fields nearby. My parents were very fortunate as well to not have severe damage to anything. My mom owns a deli in town so we headed there next to check things out. Thankfully all was in place there as well. By mid-afternoon there was a line of cars on the road in front of her business, all trying to get back into Beaufort county but with no luck. State troopers had all routes blocked due to downed trees and other circumstances, preventing many from going back home. With a gas stove and running water, my mom did was she does best and started resourcefully preparing hot meals for those that were looking for somewhere to get food. Around 7 p.m. we closed the doors due to the difficulty of functioning only by candle light. 

We were back up and at it at  3 a.m. on Sunday morning, preparing an order of 140 bag lunches to be delivered to our local electric companies to take on the road as they diligently work to restore power.

I was able to return to Charleston on Sunday afternoon to my home where the power had been restored. My family was still without power the last time I spoke with them.There is no rest for the weary at my other's deli though. They were working to prepare 200 plus lunches to be delivered to the power companies again on . 

Here are a few photos from around South Carolina.

Myrtle Beach

Edisto Beach

Charleston

Thank you to the first responders, linemen, government officials and many others who are working to restore our beautiful state back to normal. The evacuation direction and organization from our governor was a blessing. It's times like this that we should count our blessings and it also serves as a reminder that tomorrow should not be taken for granted. 

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was affected by this storm. xoxo

Currently Loving

Happy Thursday! My normal routine has been a little thrown off due to Hurricane Matthew. I've been trying to pretend like it's not happening, but deep down I'm pretty terrified. I hope everyone in the path of the storm is staying safe out there. Today I thought I would try to lighten the mood and share some things I'm currently loving. 

First up, this Pumpkin Spice coffee from World Market. I don't always love flavored coffee because it sometimes tastes too artificial but this one is a winner! I'm a part of the basic crowd that loves a good PSL, minus the calories that comes with it. Pour a cup, add a splash of vanilla almond milk creamer, and this coffee satisfies the craving.

Storage Full — a message I see quite often on my phone. I will admit, I take a lot of pictures and the problem is finding a place to store them all. I transfer them to my computer but always worry that if something happens to it, I will lose them all. Enter Google photos. It has been one of the best discoveries for someone like me. Once you download it to your computer it will automatically upload all of your photos and videos and organize them. It will also create animations, movies and collages for you. Google photos automatically put together the animation below by grouping a burst of photos I had taken. Did I mention that it's free and there's unlimited storage. What more could you ask for? Btw, this is my childhood cat Lucy, who lives with my parents. 

Snacking on candy at work is not something that I usually do, unless I'm in need of sugar to get me through a long meeting. This is exactly how I was introduced to this delicious candy. As we were all sitting the boardroom, fading fast, these sweet treats appeared on the table. I had never heard of UNREAL Candy before, but I'm glad I'm aware of it now. UNREAL's ingredients are sustainably sourced and free of GMOs, gluten, soy, corn, excess sugar and artificial flavors, dyes and preservatives. We tried a few different types but these dark chocolate peanut butter cups were my favorite, hands down.

Summer may be over, but that won't keep me from sipping on a little rosé, like this bottle of Magic Maker by Saved Wines. A dry, crisp and refreshing rosé with flavors of tangerine, strawberries and green apple. It's a new favorite for me! Inspired by a tattoo artist, the art on the bottle is pretty intriguing as well. I discovered this at Avondale Wine and Cheese the other week and I'm so glad I did!

What are some of your favorite things that you're currently loving?

Popsugar Must Have Box | September Review

Hello Fall! 

If you've been following along, you may recall me mentioning these Popsugar Must Have box subscriptions that I've been receiving lately. Well, I'm officially hooked! I think the boxes have gotten better and better each time I've received one. One of my favorite parts about the box is the mixture of items you receive. I love that it's not full of all of one type of product. 

Here's a peak at what was inside the September box!

Inside the box:

Jack & Lucy Bicoastal Wide Brim Hat | Similar style here. 
I am a huge fan of hats for the Fall, especially if it means covering up a bad hair day. I was thrilled to find this when I opened my box. 


NCLA MANI-ER Tool Kit | Similar kits here and here. 
I rarely make it to the nail salon and norally end up doing my own mani pedi's at home. Tools kits like these make things easier. 

Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask
I had never tried this particular conditioning mask before but I'm so glad I've discovered it. Someone like me who gets highlights regularly needs to deep condition once in a while. I try to do so at least once a month to keep my hair healthy. This is great for people with color treated hair. 

FLINT™ Lint Roller
Sorry but you can never have enough lint rollers, especially if you're a pet owner like me. 

Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer in The Warning
Love this shade of lip color. You can't go wrong with red. I thought this might be too powerful when I first saw it, but it one adds just the slightest amount of color, leaving a glossy finish. 


The Gluten Free Bites Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites
I'm going to be honest here. I opened these and saw the word coconut and was immediately disappointed, but only because I don't like coconut. However I always try something at least once, so I gave them a chance and I actually liked them. I could do without the coconut, but the dark chocolate filling won be over. 

I'm excited to share a special coupon code for $5 off your first must have box, using code  SHOP5!

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

Apple Pie Rolls

Have you ever flipped through a foodie magazine and come across a page you want to take a bite out of?! Maybe it's just me or maybe I was just hungry. I sometimes find a few extra minutes in the mornings to pick up a magazine while I eat my breakfast before work, which is how I came across this recipe I'm going to share with you today. I was looking through the September/October issue of Eating Well and these apple pie rolls caught my eye. I don't post very many dessert recipes on here, but this one looked to good not to.

A warm, sugar coated, crispy outer shell filled with sweet apple cinnamon filling — who can say no to that?

The good news is that by using these egg roll wrappers instead of a pie shell, cuts the calories in half. That's a win in my book. 

The only thing I was missing was something to dip them in. But then again I thought they were good enough on their own. However, if you put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top I wouldn't complain. In fact, I'm going to make sure I have some handy the next time I make this recipe. 

Apple Pie Rolls

Ingredients (serves 8: 1 roll each)

Recipe adapted from Eating Well Magazine

2 tablespoons of butter

5 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pink of salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons lemon juice

8 egg roll wrappers

4 teaspoons coconut oil

*Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional for topping or dipping

Instructions

1.     Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until it starts to brown slightly.

2.     Add diced apples, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg & salt. Cook stirring occasionally until apples soften. Add flour and cook for 1 more minute.

3.     Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

4.     Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with once corner facing you. Lightly   brush the edges with water. Place about 1/3 cup of the filling towards the edge of the wrapper. Fold the corner face you over the filling, then fold both sides of the wrapper over the filling and roll. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

5.     Combine the remaining cinnamon and sugar in a shallow bowl.

6.     Add coconut oil to a skillet over medium high heat until simmering.

7.     Add the rolls, turning frequently until browned on all sides.

8.     Once the rolls are browned, immediately dredge the warm rolls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

*Add more cinnamon and sugar to coat the rolls if needed. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Pretty Little Things

Happy Monday! I have lots of pretty things to share with you today. I came across most of these last night as I was browsing online. There were too many cute things not to share. 

Row One:

-How great is this t-shirt!

-I could see these pillows in the center of a big white fluffy bed.

-This delicate and sexy bra would be perfect peaking out of a blouse. 

-The perfect grey tennis shoes.

Row Two:

-I love the simplicity of this backpack. 

-This white bell sleeve top would be great for Fall. 

-I'm obsessing over cutout booties.

-Still loving the tassel trend, especially on this bracelet. 

Row Three:

-Making a to do lists isn't so bad when you have a pretty floral agenda.

- I would love to have a few of these pillows on my couch. 

-The perfect hat for Fall. 

-Who doesn't love a good candle. 

Row Four:

-I've been eyeing this clutch for far too long now. 

-Trying to find a good reason to purchase this dress. 

-This tote would make a great gift. 

-The choker trend continues. 

End of Summer | Hello Fall

There always seems to be a positive and negative attached to the change of seasons for me. Lately I've felt a little panicked at the thought of summer ending and I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's because I don't like cold weather, not that it gets too terribly cold here in Charleston, but nonetheless, I'm not a fan. However, I am looking forward to the fall and wearing my new booties and sipping on PSL's. Things like this top, these jeans and this hat get me excited as well. 

Because I've been trying to embrace the nice weather that the end of summer brings, I've felt the need to spend as much time outdoors as possible. We've been having dinner outside on our back porch, spending some time at the beach and having lunch on the deck at work. If you're still trying to soak up the lingering warmth of these beautiful days like me, you might enjoy some of these transitional recipes that still provide a taste of summer.

Speaking of dining outdoors, it must be complete with music. My husband is a fanatic when it comes to having musical ambiance during meals. We usually have a station on Pandora playing, particularly reggae music during the summer. I recommend Iration Radio or Boombox Radio if you're into that type of music. Our dinners will be around the table come winter time, followed by after dinner drinks by a fire, which I don't hate. 

Of course specific cocktails play another part in the whole summer vibe. I've been wanting to try out these boozy popsicles drinks for a while now. I'm hoping to make it to Crooked Crown before it gets cool out. Don't get me wrong I'm looking forward to cozying up to the fire with a glass of red wine but I'm also going to miss rose and fruity drinks on the water.  

Oh and then there's the football part. With the end of summer comes football season.  I enjoy watching the games, preferably after a few hours of tailgating. I'm fortunate that my husband's life doesn't revolve around the sport. The down side to that is hunting season, which always comes before football for my husband, which also means he spends most of his weekends away. The good news- our freezer gets stocked and I get to have lots of girls' weekends. 

In conclusion, I'm looking forward to a little football action, sitting around a fire, wearing new booties, sipping on warm beverages, indulging in some comfort food, and covering it all up with a comfy sweater- but, I sure am going to miss sweet summertime!