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Reviews Travel

My Fave Tri-State Airbnb Listings!

Airbnb Treehouse

Ever since I spent the weekend up at my buddy’s cabin in the Catskills, I’ve become obsessed with browsing the Airbnb website. His cabin is only 2 hours from our house, in a completely remote area with tons of property and it was an amazing weekend of good, quality family time. Immediately after leaving I felt so good about the ability to disconnect from reality and really just had the best time with my family and friends. I always thought I would need this extravagant vacation on a beach in the Caribbean or a thrilling ski trip on a mountain somewhere out west or overseas in order to have the best time, but honestly, sometimes these little local getaways are just as good! Don’t get me wrong, I am craving my yearly Caribbean trip and cannot wait to take the family out west for skiing, but for now, with everything that is still going on, my family has made the personal decision to just stick to local getaways for now. And this is where my Airbnb obsession has begun! 🙂

I’m excited to have partnered up with Airbnb, one of the world’s largest marketplaces for unique and authentic places to stay and things to do, so keep reading for some of my listings I found that I hope to experience with my family. There are so many incredible places on there that you would not believe might be hiding practically in your back yard! When I came across some of these locations I couldn’t believe they were all within a maximum 2 hour distance from me. I’m in Stormville, NY, and although the NYC folks consider me upstate and in the middle of nowhere LOL I definitely do not live in a remote neighborhood in a dome house, or up in a tree, or a have a year round heated pool that we can enjoy, so I still get the urge to venture to even more remote places and to experience the incredible uniqueness that some of these listings have to offer! Check out some of my Airbnb picks for a unique experience all accessible from the tri-state area for a weekend getaway!

Willow Treehouse

WILLOW TREEHOUSE
As soon as I saw the first image of this place I clicked. The first thing I usually do is check the distance of the location from my house to see if it’s a realistic drive for a weekend. I could not believe this incredible piece of architecture is only an hour and a half from me! Besides being completely obsessed with the unique shape of it, I love all of the natural wood and all of those windows (click through to see what I mean)! I lack a lot of natural light in my house so I’m a sucker for a ton of windows and great lighting. Look at that big rectangular window overlooking the pond! I can only imagine my family’s enthusiasm if we pulled up to this place. The loft bed area is so cozy and Nate always sleeps with us when we’re on vacation so I imagine a ton of good snuggles while looking through those skylights. And that wood burning hot tub is calling my name. For me, I’m all about finding unique places that are not too far, and that has amenities that my family and I can enjoy together. Nate loves hiking, climbing, making fires and eating s’mores, and so do my wife and I, so being able to enjoy some of our fave activities in a place like this would be awesome. I need to go to this place for a weekend, it’s just too cool!

Alpine Frame

ALPINE A-FRAME
How cute is this?! This Airbnb listing is a little less than 3 hours from me, situated in Vermont. We’re actually used to driving 4 hours to Vermont almost every weekend during the winter because we are avid Killington skiers, so 3 hours is nothing for us! Being a ski family is actually one of the main reasons I chose this listing. As soon as I saw that it mentioned it was only 15 minutes away from Mount Snow, I was sold. I haven’t been to Mount Snow in years, but with a cozy cabin like this to stay in, I think it would make the experience so much more fun! I absolutely love the shape of this little cabin, especially with those lights running along the front of the frame – it just looks so cozy and cute! I love all of the wood grain inside and the wood burning fireplace and outdoor fire-pit. My family loves to sit around the fire when we do little getaways like this, so it’s kind of a must for me! Another reason why I chose this listing is because it mentioned that the house is only 5 minutes away from downtown, filled with boutique shops and restaurants – I’m sold! Cozy family vibes in a cute cabin, skiing, shopping and eating? This cute little A-frame has my name written all over it. We need to make the trip up to this place one weekend!

Modern Upstate Cabin

MODERN UPSTATE CABIN
So for this Airbnb listing, I was familiar with it before I even came across it on their site, because I actually follow the owner of this incredible cabin on Instagram! I’ve never actually been here before, but my eyes always pop open whenever I come across his posts of images of this place. It’s just incredible. And, the location, Red Hook, NY, is only about 45 minutes from me! Modern design in the middle of the woods gets me every time. The decor of this place is just so minimal and modern, but still has cozy vibes – it’s the perfect blend. I’m obsessed with how they stacked all of that wood in the wall. I officially want to change out my pellet stove in my house to this orb fireplace…I mean how gorgeous is this?! The mod pool is year round and heated, so that alone sold me on this place. My family and I love swimming in the winter when we go to Killington, so I know we would have a blast having this place to ourselves one weekend. It also has a solarium cottage on the property (check it out). How cool?! Imagine falling asleep in here at night? Or waking up in this in the morning? Ahhhh, it would be such a cool experience with my family. I kind of want one for our backyard! haha Considering this place is so close to me, I really need to experience it one weekend. It’s just gorgeous.

Casa Minnewaska

CASA MINNEWASKA
Again, the first picture made me click! This place looks beautiful and is only about an hour and a half from me. Most New Yorkers have heard of Minnewaska State Park, and this cabin is only about 20 minutes from the “Gunks” (Shawangunk Mountains). I actually used to go there to rock climb years ago, so I’m somewhat familiar with the area, and my family and I love to do rock scrambles and explore the cute town up in New Paltz, so the fact that this cabin is so close to activities we love to do is the main reason why I chose this Airbnb listing! Whenever we’ve been up to New Paltz it’s always just for the day, so to be able to stay in a cool place like this and make a weekend out of it would make it feel like a little vacay for me. It’s always fun to go somewhere for the day, but when you get to stay over and make a small vacation out of it, it’s so much better! Click through and look at that aerial view – it just looks so beautiful in the middle of nowhere amongst all those trees! Indoor wood burning stove? Check. Hot Tub? Check. Firepit? Check. Incredible Views? Check. Secludedness while just being a short distance to hiking and a cute little town? Check. I could see me staying in a place like this with my family and another couple, or bringing the parents and mother-in-law along. There’s room for 10 guests so it would be a great place for a cozy weekend with family or friends, while still being able to enjoy some of our fave activities nearby. Honestly, this would’ve been perfect for my 40th birthday weekend that was back in September. Wish I would’ve thought of it then! Maybe the next one! 🙂

Tree House

THE TREE HOUSE
Ok, so for this Airbnb listing, the second image (shown above) made me click! LOL I am a sucker for that retro decor! Honestly, right after I saw this listing it made me want to go buy some home decor haha. This Airbnb listing is in PA but is still less than 2 hours away from me! This place just looks so cool. Being a #plantdad, that cactus and those plants mixed in with that furniture kind of had me drooling. The shape of this cabin (click through to see) is so unique and I love all of the windows surrounding it. I don’t know why, but I just picture myself pulling up to this place in our ’64 T-Bird and then chilling inside with my wife while the Dirty Dancing soundtrack is playing. haha Although, Nate will be there too because we never like to go anywhere without him. 🙂 Besides this decor which I can’t stop obsessing over, it’s got all of my fireplace/firepit needs, is situated on 9 acres of private woods (perfect for family exploring which we love to do), and is only a 4 minute drive to Narrowsburg (which I’ve never heard of or been to, but since it mentions antique stores and local markets, it has me intrigued!) My family and I love exploring new local towns with vintage shopping, cute shops and yummy food, so I’m kind of wanting to venture here for a weekend. Being a content creator, honestly the decor alone has me wanting to go and just have a photoshoot! haha Actually, I believe PA has a lot of dirt bike trails, so I’d be curious if there is any nearby this place that we could take our dirt bikes to and have some fun outdoor adventure as well. I’ll have to look into that further! Either way, this place is just so cool. Did I mention that yet? 🙂

It was so hard to choose and narrow it down to just a few listings because there are just some many amazing and unique places to experience on Airbnb. Just go browse the site – you’d be surprised how many magazine-worthy locations are within driving distance from you! I am personally going to try and spend some more time looking for more listings that my family and I can enjoy during the winter months. Hoping that the ski season is not too heavily impacted with the pandemic, but if we must ski less this year due to less people being allowed on the mountains, I am going to make sure we make a week out of our trip or at least get the most out of the experience, by staying at a unique Airbnb listing that has a firepit, is close to a cute town, near skiing, and hopefully has a year-round pool or at least a hot tub. This sounds absolutely amazing to me and I need to get on it before all the weekends book up!

Which featured listing of mine was your favorite? I’m curious which one you would prefer to stay at if you had the choice. Comment here or on my Instagram post and let me know!

Family Home Reviews

Hey Portal, Call the Grandparents

Portal from Facebook

I love adding new technology into my house. So, when I was gifted the new Portal+ from Facebook, I was super excited! I’ve seen the Portal from Facebook commercials, but never realized how much I would love it until I actually started using it. What’s better than a device that makes it so easy to see loved ones and brings family and friends closer no matter where in the world we are. And that’s exactly what this Portal does!

As soon as I opened the box I couldn’t believe the size of the screen – it was much larger than I expected and I love the way it stands up on it’s own and also allows the screen to swivel from a vertical to horizontal orientation. It has a sleek yet sturdy feeling to it. Portal from Facebook is so easy to use with the large touch screen or you can do things like start or answer a video call with “Hey Portal”! It also comes with Alexa built-in so you can start off your commands with “Alexa…” as well. Obviously, the coolest feature is definitely using Portal to make video calls by utilizing your Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp contacts and allowing you to have instant face to face calls with them, hands-free.

It’s so amazing…you don’t even have to stop doing what you’re doing in the house because you can initiate the calls with voice commands, and then the camera will actually keep you centered in frame as you move around the room. If there’s more than one person in the room, it will widen the lens to include everyone or zoom in and focus on the person speaking. With the size and quality of the screen it really almost makes it seem like the person you’re video calling is actually in the room with you!

Portal From Facebook

Besides the video-calling feature, Nate is also able to watch his favorite Youtube videos on it, we’re able to stream music with different apps, and it also has a digital picture frame feature, which I’ve actually always wanted for our house! You can display photos from your Facebook and Instagram, or upload photos to your Portal devices directly from your smartphone’s camera roll.  We have so many pictures that just sit on our phones, that it’s nice to finally be able to see them featured somewhere in our house. The speaker quality of Portal really surprised us. It’s really clear and goes louder than you would think a device like this would be able to. We love it so much and love having it in our kitchen. We always seem to find ourselves saying “Hey Portal, play some Christmas music” and dancing or spinning around in the kitchen – so it’s perfect.

Portal from Facebook

Portal from Facebook is available in Portal+ (the device we went with!), Portal, Portal Mini, and then Portal TV. Portal offers a 10″ HD display and Portal Mini offers a 8″ HD display video calling experience and both offer the built-in Alexa as well. Portal TV allows video calling on the biggest screen in your home! The smart camera hooks up to your TV and instantly makes it feel like the ones you’re speaking to are right there in your home with you. We felt like our GG’s were with us on the Portal+, so I can’t even imagine what it must feel like if their loving faces were up there on our 60″! Portal TV is a great way for families to stay connected. When speaking with a loved one through the phone, with no visual connection you still feel like you’re miles apart, but as soon as you see those faces come through, the call no longer feels distant and instead it feels like they’re right there with you.

Portal from Facebook

This is such an awesome gift idea for a relative or friend who you don’t get to normally see as much as you’d like. We love being able to video call Nate’s great-grandparents in Arizona and my sister in Maryland. Before Portal from Facebook, I feel like I’d catch myself saying “Wow, I haven’t seen the grandparents in months” Now, even though it may not be in person, I don’t have that same feeling of not seeing them in a while. It’s just a different kind of closer feeling and connection you get when actually seeing the person you’re speaking to, rather than just talking on the phone. The fact that you don’t even need to be near the device or touch it and still be able to make your call and see the person you’re calling, has me already making the switch from my regular smart phone to the Portal from Facebook. This household loves it!

This post is in collaboration with @PortalfromFacebook. #PortalPartner #PortalFromFacebook #FeelThere #Portal

All images were created by, me.

Family Reviews Style

Red, White & (Old) Navy

Old Navy 4th of July Looks

Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July Looks Old Navy 4th of July LooksNow that summer has officially kicked off and July is right around the corner, Nate and I can’t wait for July 4th! Nathan is super patriotic and loves all things American, so it was fun to pick out these outfits with him. We teamed up with one of our favorite brands, Old Navy, to get coordinating outfits for July’s BBQ season. With this beautiful NY weather, and school finally out, we can’t help but want to constantly be outside exploring, so we took Nate to a local farm to just roam around and get fresh apple cider donuts. This is normally one of our fall routines, but we were just in the mood to be outside and figured we’d see what goodies we could get this time of year.

On the way to the farm, Nate spotted a huge American Flag on the side of a barn so we had to check it out and take some shots in front of it! Nate and I both wore black (panther) Old Navy shorts. Nate’s wearing the Canvas Cut-Off Shorts and I’m wearing the 6″ Built-In Flex Shorts. I really love the length of these shorts and love the fact that Old Navy has so many different lengths to choose from. I like my shorts on the short side, and they aren’t always easy to find. I know a lot of guys don’t feel comfortable wearing a shorter length, so it’s nice that Old Navy provides different length options! Vintage style band shirts will never go out of style. They’re just classic! They have a vintage American feel that is perfect for those summer time vibes. The pairing of my Rolling Stones 3/4-Sleeve Tee with the slightly distressed black color shorts and these Round Top-Bar Sunglasses with the blue mirrored lens had me feeling like a summer time rock star!

Nate paired his panther shorts with the Soft-Washed Printed Mini Blue Stripe shirt which has a seersucker kind of stripe and an American Flag peace sign. I have to say, the only thing I don’t like about this shirt is that they don’t make a matching shirt for men! I love it. Nate actually has an Old Navy jacket from last season with the same peace sign and I love that on too! Of course he had to have the American Flag Sunglasses (unfortunately they’re sold out, but still might be in your local Old Navy) to match our Americana outfits and I think it was just what he needed to play up those USA vibes!

We are both officially ready for the 4th of July. Hope everyone has a happy and safe one!

Reviews Travel

In The Fast Lane (Program) With Uber

Uber

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Everybody has the dream of becoming their own boss. Making your own hours and not having someone to answer to? What could be better than that! Uber (a ride request app) not only gives consumer’s a convenient service but it’s also giving people an opportunity to be their own boss and have a career (either part time or full time) that’s flexible with their schedule. I had the opportunity to meet one of Uber’s drivers and learn a little about him, how he became a New York City Uber driver and what it took for him to get there.

Tahir is from the good old Bronx, NY, and until recently was a computer consultant who actually lived in China for a year. Like many of us, including myself, he wasn’t happy with his job. He finally had enough and decided he wanted the benefits that Uber offered and the freedom of being his own boss, so he decided to become an Independent Uber driver. I don’t like to say he is just an Uber driver, because it makes it sound like he’s an employee of Uber, but in fact he is an Independent Contractor who works for himself. I was surprised to hear that he wasn’t nervous about making such a change in his life considering he has no background experience in driving and was leaving his career for it. I know I would have been completely scared. Luckily, it was everything he expected it to be. Now with that being said, he knew what he was signing up for and was ready to put in the work to meet his financial goals.

I was really surprised to learn that the requirements to become an Uber driver in New York City is a little different and requires some extra steps unlike most other US cities. In NYC every Uber driver and vehicle must have a Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) license and registration. Tahir explained that it does makes complete sense though, considering all of the yellow cabs there are in the city and the fact that it’s the law for them to have the same qualifications. Luckily, Uber helped Tahir and helps all of their NYC applicants through the process to make it as streamlined as possible, and even helps them save a little cash as well, with their Fast Lane program.

Tahir told me how he went to the NYC Uber driver support location, the Greenlight Hub, and they walked him through filling out the TLC application. He was able to sign up for all the licenses and courses while he was there so that when he left, all of the paperwork was complete and he knew everything that needed to be done going forward. Since he was ready to take the TLC course, he signed up right there while filling out his paperwork. Normally courses cost over $800 but through Uber’s Fast Lane Program, it only cost him $500. And that’s not the only cost. It also cost nearly $3000 for a TLC registration! In order to help drivers afford the registration cost and obtain a vehicle, Uber partners with local dealerships that have cars that are pre-registered with the TLC registration. Tahir was able to lease his car and pay weekly, instead of having to take out a loan and come up with the 3K. There are other options as well for getting a car, but for Tahir at that time, it’s what worked best for him. Additionally, for information on Rideshare Insurance & which companies offer it click here.

I can totally see how becoming an Uber driver was a good fit for Tahir. Just sitting and chatting with him, it felt like I’ve known him forever. He’s super personable, easy to talk to and understands the hustle needed to hitting his weekly numbers. Uber also gives incentives to their drivers to help them meet their goals. He also told me that he was taking courses to become a nurse and that being a driver allows him to be able to have the flexibility to take courses and still work full time. When I was going for my degree, I also worked full time. I think if Uber was around while I was in college, I definitely would have thought about driving while in school. Tahir told me how he plans on continuing driving even after he achieves his goal of becoming a nurse. He told me he has several friends that are nurses and still drive for Uber as well. If you’re looking for something full time or just some extra cash, it does seem perfect. There’s not too many jobs out there where you can make your own hours and work as little or as much as you want!

Thanks again Tahir for taking the time to meet with me. It was a pleasure getting to know a little about you and learning about another field that I knew nothing about. Uber is lucky to have a participant such as yourself! Start that Instagram account 🙂 and good luck with that nursing degree! (This post is written in partnership with Uber, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Reviews Style

#SamSummerFriday with Sam Adams

BlueCollarPrep

BlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrepBlueCollarPrep Summer is here! And, what’s better than a summer weekend? How about the increasingly popular summer Fridays perk, or a full Friday off to kick-start that weekend?! Sam Adams gave my wife and I the opportunity to have a summer Friday on them! When I found out that in 2016, Americans failed to take 662 Million Vacation days I was in disbelief. How are people NOT using all of their vacation days?! I usually take more than I’m allotted at my job! (LOL) How can we work at full function, be creative, and not be irritable with our co-workers if we don’t take time to do anything but work. In fact, a recent study commissioned by Sam Adams showed that more than two-thirds of survey respondents (69%) feel more creative and productive after a few days off work for vacation or a long weekend. Give me any opportunity to get out of work early to have some fun and have a cold one and I’m there. I’m not lazy by any means, I bust my butt during my work hours, but I value my free time and love having fun and spending time with my family. My wife and I took the day to have a little mini #SamSummerFriday vacation within 30 minutes from our house. You don’t have to go on a major trip for you to feel like you’re on a vacation. Any place with some sort of recreation, good food, drinks & good music can instantly take me away from reality. We hit up this super cool mini-golf place where you can play 18 holes, all while walking around with a Summer Ale from the bar! I love mini-golf, and so does my family, but adding a couple cold ones to the game really elevates the experience! You can also enjoy bumper boats, volleyball, and arcade games, again, all while putting some back (WIN!). Once we finished up mini-golf, we headed over to the Poughkeepsie waterfront restaurant, Shadows on the Hudson. I’ve actually been here for a couple of great weddings and even spent a couple nights cutting up the dance floor with wifey, but never actually ate here! I will definitely be back. Their tuna tacos were out of this world, their lobster roll was seriously spot on, and their crab cakes were amazing. During our dinner of apps we got to enjoy the beautiful views of the Hudson River and Mid-Hudson Bridge, all while washing it down with summer’s finest, Sam Adams Summer Ale! The crisp lemon notes of the beer were an excellent completion to the buttery richness of our seafood dishes. This really was the perfect Summer Friday. We had incredible weather, and got to spend time together away from work and away from the everyday grind, with some of our favorite activities, topped off with good food and more importantly good beer! Thank you Sam Adams for reminding us it’s ok to step away, take advantage of the benefits you’re entitled to and have a mentally uplifting day to escape reality and recharge! I’m telling you, I’m always more motivated on the job when I can step away and leave the work at work. Find that balance and give yourself the break you deserve!

For those of you in DC, SF, Tampa, LA and Boston in particular, this reminder is especially for you…you’re the worst at taking your vacation days according to a study from Project: Time Off! To combat that, Sam Adams is taking matters into their own hands, by hosting an exclusive summer “Sam Summer Friday” parties in those cities to help encourage you all to take more time for yourselves to refresh and recharge. Workers in the cities I mentioned can nominate their offices through Twitter using #SamSummerFriday to win an exclusive opportunity to attend the Sam Summer Friday party. For official rules including how to enter, visit www.samueladams.com/samsummerfridays.

Family Home Style

A Party With Popsicle

BlueCollarPrep

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Who doesn’t love a good party? When I got a chance to style pieces from the new INC x Popsicle collaboration and throw my family a little party I was all in. This INC x Popsicle Print Shirt screams fun and has the perfect colors to rock out at any summer BBQ or party. The black base with the scattered Popsicle print, in their classic Popsicle colors (including the famous firecracker pops), is fun, without being too loud and over the top. It might be my son’s favorite shirt of mine! The black INC Men’s Skinny Stretch Pants are truly a rare find. A pant that comes in the perfect length and fit? With no belt or tight-roll needed? They seriously fit me perfect! These Popsicle’s are not only pretty iconic in the ice game but are actually a huge part of my family’s daily routine. My wife and I have a sugar-free pop almost every night – they’re only 15 calories! We LOVE the new Red Classics! And, as long as Nate finishes his dinner – he usually goes with a classic Popsicle Firecracker. Overall my family’s a big Popsicle fan, so we were thrilled with the INC x Popsicle collab. With such fun graphics from the INC x Popsicle collection, it’s only right to carry them over into the social media world & offer them as Emojis! My personal fave is the Popsicle Snow Cone – I used to live on those as a kid! Check out all of the INCmoji Stickers HERE. Plus, check out more pieces from the INC x Popsicle collection at Macy’s. Great collab! This post was sponsored by INC International Concepts, available only at Macy’s.

Family Reviews Style

#GiveGodiva This Valentine’s Day

BlueCollarPrep

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I’ve never been one to buy my wife flowers. Now, before you start judging me, hear me out! Roses are pretty, but only for about 24 hours and then they start to die. A bunch of dead flowers on the table just doesn’t scream romance to me! (LOL) Luckily for me, my wife also has never really been into flowers (the smell reminds her of a funeral home) AND she has a MAJOR sweet tooth. Whenever I want to surprise her with something, to show my love and appreciation for her, chocolate is almost always my go-to. So for Valentines day especially, you have to go with the best…Godiva. Surprising her with something sweet is also a fun way to get my 4 year old son Nate involved. What kid doesn’t love going to a store that sells an array of delicious sweets? He loves the idea of me bringing him along to help me pick out something yummy that he thinks mommy would like. We can also spoil ourselves and walk out of there with a delicious milk shake, ice cream, or some hot cocoa! (and you better believe we did) This year we’re giving her the Godiva Slices of Love Chocolate Gift Box and 2 of the Godiva’s Valentine’s Day Gold Boxes. The Slices of Love collection features some of your favorite cakes from around the world in the form of chocolates. Nate picked it out for the packaging, but I was sold on the cake inspired flavors. A chocolate assortment is always a good idea so we (I mean my wife) can try a little of everything! My favorite was the chocolate turtle, my wife loves the caramels, and Nate just wanted to bite into each piece. Getting to share the sweets is another reason I always opt for chocolates over flowers! Nate was so excited to tell mommy “I have a surprise for youuuuuu”. He loves getting presents but also loves giving them, and can’t keep a secret for anything. So, we ended up giving them to her a little early. She was so happy when her 2 favorite guys surprised her with a little luxury of chocolates. We were quickly overpowered with high-pitched mommy excitement, a triple family hug and kisses galore! There’s just something about Godiva that shows you went that extra mile to make someone feel special. Every year it seems like these special occasions mean more and more to me. Being able to show my wife how much my son and I love her and appreciate everything she does to take care of her 2 silly boys means a lot to me. It’s very easy to go everyday and not take time to appreciate the ones you love but as I get older, I try to on a daily basis. I want to make sure they know everyday that no one loves anyone as much as I love them. I love our little family and we will always be a tripod or maybe more like the 3 stooges! 🙂

Reviews Style

NEW CHELSEA’S IN MY CLOSET

BlueCollarPrep

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock you know that one of the hottest trends not only in men’s fashion but in footwear alone is the Chelsea boot, and I’m a huge fan! Some of these brands sell them for upwards to $1000, so it was nice to see that Shoeology makes and sells them for less than $100! (You don’t always have to break the bank to follow trends) I paired these Thompson Brown Chelsea Boots with black pants, this rust vintage button down, my black leather and this green fedora (just to add a little pop of color, but not over the top) I felt like the look was sort of that old school Brooklyn vibe 🙂 The distressed brown on the boots gives them that worn-in, casual look but the subtle sheen on the leather keeps them a little dressy. If you don’t own any yet and are hesitant to try a chelsea boot, due to the more refined look and narrow shoe silhouette, these are a good pair to start off on – price-wise and they’re one of the more rugged styles I own, for you manly men! 😛
Style

#MySENE

BlueCollarPrep for SENEStudio

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I got the opportunity to be part of Suitable’s re-branding to become SENE.  It was a pretty cool experience that ended with me getting an amazing suit and some great shots thanks to Kevin Chungg. Besides getting to meet their amazing crew, I also got to try on and pick a suit to add to my collection. I visited their showroom and tried on a few jackets but when I felt the wool and silk material of the 01 Suit in Speckled Desert I knew it was the one. I have to be honest…out of all the suits I didn’t think I would of went with a brown suit, but sometimes the suit picks you LOL. We paired the suit with their Monk Shirt in Oxford White – it’s a perfect way to still have a classic look but with a little edge. It’s always fun to get the opportunity to shoot with a company or another photographer (not that you don’t do an amazing job babe haha). I also got a chance to style one of their blue and black checkered double breasted suit jackets. And by style, I mean throw it over my outfit that I wore to meet the SENE crew LOL. It just so happened to look great with my outfit so we decided to shoot it as well! I cannot wait to get my custom suit from them! Be sure to check out my feature on their blog as well! #MySENE