A Sweet Proposal

When it comes to engagements, I think the way a person proposes is as sweet as the diamond engagement ring itself. My dad's proposal to my mom was very classic. He took her to a really nice restaurant and proposed over dinner & champagne. Needless to say, my mom said yes and was tickled pink. Proposals have evolved since then and have really become creative.

I received a beautiful diamond ring from Anjolee and thought it would be cute to showcase it while discussing some of the ways people propose. Anjolee has a beautiful selection of anniversary rings for women and a wide assortment of other sweet diamond creations. So definitely take a look at what they have to offer. Anjolee provides you with a diamond guarantee, certificate of authenticity, 30 day returns, and Free FedEx shipping (United States & Canada).

Scrabble Game Proposal

A girl, that's a friend of mine, and her boyfriend participate in a monthly game night club. They play various games each month. When it was their time to host game night, the boyfriend opted for the game Scrabble. Well, they played for awhile that night and then everyone stopped to take a break. When my friend came back from the break, her Scrabble letters were replaced with the words "Will You Marry Me?" and her engagement ring sat "oh-so-pretty" in the middle of the Scrabble board. HaHa It was definitely a WIN-WIN that night for those two. :)

Pop Up Book Proposal

Now this one was cute! In college, I worked part time at a ritzy bridal shop. One of the brides (who was very well to do) showed us this pop-up book. It turned out her fiance had an engagement fairy-tale pop-up book made and personalized for her. The book featured him as the prince and her as Cinderella. Of course the ending, asked her to marry him. How cute was THAT!?! The book was professionally made and I could tell her fiancee put a lot into it. Definitely a book and memory she would treasure for a lifetime.

Lottery Scratch Off Game Proposal

Every year, one of my neighbors would give his wife a bunch of scratch off  lottery tickets along with a nice gift for her birthday. She liked to gamble. HaHaHa Well one year, he included a lottery scratch off ticket that read "Will You Marry Me?" (he looked at her and added...AGAIN!) Well her birthday gift that year included an anniversary ring and a renewal of vows celebration planned later that year. In my best Cher Horowitz voice, "Old people can be so sweet!" HaHaHa >.<

Saucy Proposal

A lady I knew at work would always go out for lunch. One of her favorite places to eat was Taco Bell! Well, her boyfriend called her one day and said he would pick lunch up for her that day. He picked up her favorite items from Taco Bell and included sauce packets (you can now find them on eBay HaHaHa) that read "Will You Marry Me?" Who would've ever thought! People think of the funniest things.

Do you have a proposal story you would like to share?

*This is a sponsored post for Anjolee, designed & written by A Very Sweet Blog. 

photo credit: A Very Sweet Blog

I was given a Classic Brilliant 7 Diamonds Anniversary Ring made in silver with cz stones, 1.00 carat for review.

The Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas

Here's my finale Vegas post! I even pulled out the Vegas mugs I bought there, so get ready! HaHa Really glad these posts (here and here) helped you guys. For anyone that doesn't know the layout of Vegas, watch the two videos below and here's a map. It will give you an idea of how everything is situated. I video taped my shuttle ride from the airport to The Venetian Hotel on a whim :) As you can see everything is really spread out. So definitely bring comfortable walking shoes, cool clothes, sunshades and sunscreen! We went in April and it was HOT with a breeze then. LOL

The Strip Part1: Tropicana, Excalibur, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Gucci, Tiffany & Co. Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and City Center.  

The Strip Part 2: Paris Hotel, Bellagio, Serendipity 3, Caesars Palace, The Coliseum, The Forums, The Mirage, Treasure Island Hotel and The Venetian.

We stayed at The Venetian Hotel. If you like beautiful artwork, sculptures, elaborate painted ceilings, marble flooring, fountains and gardens, then this is the hotel for you. It's truly gorgeous! The Venetian has suites, not rooms. They're spacious and immaculate! Each suite has gorgeous marble bathrooms, refrigerator, a sunken living area, desk, phone, safe and a breathtaking view of the mountains and other casinos. The Venetian Hotel is also a shopping mecca! They have so many stores and levels that you will need a map to navigate. They have a plethora of restaurants , spa and gondola ride. Besides all that fabulosity,  I also picked The Venetian because it was centrally located to other attractions I wanted to see. The Mirage, Caesars Palace, Serendipity 3 and Treasure Island are all nearby.

Try to attend some type of play or concert while you're in Vegas! Although it's no longer at The Venetian, we went to see The Phantom of the Opera in 2011. I also purchased backstage passes to meet & take a picture with the phantom and get a tour of the set. I received a special program and he autographed it :).

I like to know the story behind the story, so this was really special for me. We were able to see the costumes that were made and imported from Belgium, the "crashing" chandelier, statues, wigs and everything that made up the set. Another thing that touched me, was the phantom (Anthony Crivello) was truly grateful for everyone's attendance, love for the actors and support of theater. Stage actors, really put their all into productions. It means a lot to them, when they see that you've enjoyed a production. So much effort goes into it. We also saw the Blue Man Group and went to Madame Tussauds in The Venetian.

If plays aren't your thing, go to a concert! In 2011, Janet Jackson headlined Caesar's Palace. So always check for current concerts and events. There's always something going on in Vegas!

There's also a hotel (oh heck, the V theater at Planet Hollywood), where they will teach you to pole dance and you get this cute stripper card (example)! HaHaHa But I couldn't go there, because I was with my MOMMA! HaHaHa  :P But the wallet size card is really cute and I'm sure you'll get some giggles trying this.

yep, that was me at madame tussaud's with a wax figured snoop doggy dog (lion) and president obama.
i'm truly diversity at it's best! i can hang with the so called "upper" and "lower" class with no problem. ;) bottom line, I can relate to all. maybe that explains the diversity of my readers on this blog. :)

And finally, make sure you see Vegas at night! It's beautiful! I ate an early dinner and caught some FREE shows. Start at Treasure Island for the "pirate" show, then walk down a block and wait for the volcanic eruption at The Mirage (or just watch it below. LOL). Then go inside The Mirage and get something sweet from The Sugar Factory . I hope these blog posts helped you. I enjoyed my week there and you will too! :)

Sweet-Bittersweet-Not Sweet

The Venetian in Las Vegas is SUPER Sweet!

Freed's Bakery, Las Vegas

If you're ever in Las Vegas and need a cake delivered to your hotel room or a cake for an event you're hosting, I highly recommend Freed's Bakery! You guys, they are the best. They've been in business for over 50 years! They have baked cakes for celebrities and a number of events on The Strip.

As mentioned in my previous post, it was my mom's birthday when we went to Vegas in 2011. I wanted her to have a birthday cake, despite not being "home". After searching the web, I found Freed's Bakery. I really liked the fact that they would deliver to my hotel room (The Venetian) for a small fee. That's amazing! So I picked out the style of cake I wanted from their Facebook page (they have a vast selection on their website), placed the order over the phone with a Freed's representative and paid for it as well.

When I arrived in Vegas, I called Freed's Bakery and gave them my room number. They added that information to my order. Freed's delivered the cake on time, the cake was beautifully decorated and it was THE BEST tasting cake I have EVER had. That says a lot, because we have really good food and bakeries here in New Orleans. HaHaHa FYI, the cake was chocolate with butter cream icing. The silver ribbon, dice, and cards were non-edible but everything else was. For my older readers, I've shown this cake before, but since I seem to be doing an unexpected Vegas week, this week I wanted to document it properly (many of you mentioned you're thinking about going. hope these posts help). This is not a sponsored post. I just really like Freed's and highly recommend them. Do you have a favorite bakery in YOUR area? Let me know!

Serendipity 3 and Caesars Palace, Las Vegas

A sculpted garden sundae, topped with a cherry & straw (a glimpse of my mom is in the picture with the sundae further down!) Colorful flowers that looked good enough to eat! Mazes upon mazes of manicured shrubbery! Fountains that leaped into the air! THIS is Serendipity my friends! I swear I wanted to chop that sundae down and put it on the plane with me. LOL

When I first laid eyes on Serendipity 3 in Las Vegas (in 2011) I just knew I was in Wonderland. This charming restaurant opened in 2009 and sits right next to Caesars Palace. Everything about it is magical. From the pink awnings to the cute menus, this place left nothing undone. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also serve ice cream sundaes as BIG as your...ok my head. I suggest sitting outside and enjoying the sights! Bring your camera, because the beautiful Caesar's Palace gardens, prayer temple, and fountains are next door. If you have a platinum card or better, then you should shop at The Forums. HaHa!

My blog buddy Nelah of Maysa and Sunshine recently vacationed at the Vdara Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. I mentioned to Nelah, that I went April 2011 (it was a surprise trip for my mom's birthday) and would share my experiences on my blog. I was new to blogging back then and didn't feel comfortable sharing personal pics. Now anything goes! HaHaHa Please realize, I didn't have a DLSR camera in 2011. If you've written a blog post on Las Vegas and would like to share your experiences, please share your link on this post. I encourage everyone to visit Vegas at least once. I'll try and put another Vegas post together for you tomorrow. 

Sweet-Bittersweet-Not Sweet

Serendipity 3 in Las Vegas is Sweet!

Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival: A Berry Good Time!

Hop in the car! Come with me! We're going to Ponchatoula, Louisiana! Pon-cha-toula??? Yes!!!

Ponchatoula is a small, family-oriented town that's about an hour away from New Orleans. Ponchatoulan's call their city "The Strawberry Capital of the World" and each year host a delightful Strawberry Festival. Many attend from all over Louisiana every year.

We had BEAUTIFUL weather Saturday (April 13th) so I thought it would be a great day to get out. Sunshine! Blue skies! Fresh air! And of course LOTS and LOTS of STRAWBERRIES!

There are so many wonderful things to buy when you're in Ponchatoula. I love their fresh fruit & vegetables. I believe in buying from & supporting local businesses, especially when it comes to food. For this trip, I picked up cabbages, potatoes, creole tomatoes, gumbo and of course fresh strawberries. They also sell cute serving ware, tshirts, artwork and jewelry.

Many people go to The Strawberry Festival to stock up on Ponchatoula wine! 1-2 bottles? No. No. No. Everyone leaves with cases of this stuff. It's that good!

My favorite of course is their Strawberry wine. They give you a choice of Sweet, Semi-Sweet, and Bittersweet. My second favorite, is their Peach Wine. It's very smooth and goes well with so many Summer dishes. They also have Blueberry, Orange, Cranberry and other flavors.

Sunday, I prepared a shrimp and smoked sausage jambalaya over rice. I then made a simple lettuce and tomato salad. I used the tomatoes I purchased from the Ponchatoula Market and baked some garlic bread. It was really good! I chilled and poured myself a glass of Peach Wine. I was a happy girl :)

Top: GAP (similar) / Pants: Talbots (similar) / Shoes: JCrew sold out (similar) (worn here) /
Vintage Strawberry Straw Handbag: Etsy

The City of Ponchatoula was established as a logging camp in the early 1800's and at the turn of the 20th century commercial farming became it's main export. Just check out this cool train they have on display! Choo Choo!

The City of Ponchatoula is also known for their many antique shops! They're known as "The Antique City". They have a rich sense of history and even have their own museum. The Indian name Ponchatoula means "flowing hair", arrived at by the Indians as a way of expressing the beauty of the location, with much moss hanging from the trees. (source) I want to thank Mr. CJ for letting me park in his parking lot for the event and for the bathroom facilities! He's a really nice man!

Ready for a parade? Grab a corn dog! You'll need energy to catch all the great stuff they throw! The local police drive their motorbikes in formation, the fire department showcase their beautiful trucks, dance groups dance, senior citizens wave, strawberry queens reign and then there are the floats.

Someone on one of the floats, truly thought I was special, because I caught an Elmer's Strawberry Heavenly Hash candy bar (the Elmer's Chocolate facility is located in Ponchatoula). How cute is the Berry Pickin' Diner float below? It was my favorite. I also befriended the cutest little dog. He was decked out in his finest and his owner was the sweetest.

I never leave without indulging in a Strawberry Funnel Cake. A very nice lady at Mr. CJ's makes them hot & fresh when you place your order. You just pop a squat on a nearby bench, watch people pass by and enjoy yourself!

The Ponchatoula Festival also has a number of kiddie rides, bands, foodie booths and arts & crafts booths, but they are further down the road. There's truly something for everybody! It was a delightful day for me! I know this post was long, but I wanted to give you a sense of what it's like :)

 SWEET-BITTERSWEET-NOT SWEET

The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is SWEET!