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NY Men’s Blogger

Nate Made Me Breakfast in Bed!

Posted on May 22, 2020

This post has been sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Father’s Day is quickly approaching and it’s one of those holidays that always gets me super sentimental. My father passed away when I was 15, so every year that I get to celebrate with my son means a lot to me – and I’m sure every father feels the same way!

Read on to see how my son surprised me and made me feel so special by serving me Jimmy Dean® Frozen Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches in bed! We’ve been shopping online for groceries more so than ever lately so Nate usually browses the ACME app with us to add anything special he wants for the week, so he made sure to secretly add these sandwiches with mommy without me seeing. Now that we’re using the ACME app to shop and get our groceries delivered, it was a lot easier for them to surprise me without us all being at the grocery store together. We love the “New Deals” section in the app – it’s so easy to see the new items on sale that we may not have necessarily had on our list, but are always willing to purchase at a good deal!

I was having one of those weeks where I felt overwhelmed. I was rushing around finishing work and projects, and I was even feeling busy at home on the weekends. I had said out loud, “I wish I could have one of those days where I don’t even leave the bed, and I can enjoy yummy food and watch movies all day.” Well, my son is very observant and takes in everything he hears. So this year, Nathan wanted to make me breakfast in bed!

It’s well known that I’m the cook in this family, so I think Nate was a little skeptical with the idea, since he knows mommy is not much of a cook LOL (she cleans, I cook) – and it works out just fine! He told me I could get dressed but not to leave the bedroom.

We eat plain croissants a lot in the house, especially in the mornings, and whenever we go out on the weekends, I usually stop for a sausage, egg and cheese at the deli. So when my wife and son saw these Jimmy Dean® Frozen Sausage, Egg and Cheese Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches at ACME, they knew they would be perfect for me, and perfect for them because they didn’t require any preparation or cooking! 🙂

I waited patiently upstairs while they prepared, and I could smell the warm croissants heating up—I had no idea what it was, but it smelled so good! Nate was so cute, barely being able to carry the tray with everything on it, but somehow he managed. It was complete with a little plant, pineapple juice (which I love) and salt, pepper, and ketchup; because he knows that’s what I always get on my egg sandwiches at the deli!

Up he came with the Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant sandwiches, and they were so good! I love how crispy the croissants got! Nathan had never actually tried eggs before and never even had an urge to, but I think because these sandwiches looked and smelled so good, he was enticed. Plus, he loves croissants, so that enticed him even more! He really surprised me by asking if he could have one. I was shocked. You know how kids are—if they think they don’t like something, even if they’ve never had it, that’s it, they don’t like it, end of conversation. But he wanted to try these, even though they had egg on them, so I was thrilled! To be honest, I feel like having a sausage, egg and cheese croissant is like a right of passage. I think I may have lived on them all throughout high school LOL. I was seriously so excited he wanted try them! First bite, and his eyes lit up. He loved them, and it made me so happy because now I have someone to enjoy them with! My wife on the other hand, wants nothing to do with eggs, so I never really end up making them as much as I would like to. But now that I know Nate is a fan of these Jimmy Dean Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant sandwiches, they will be stocked in our freezer at all times!

Thanks for my early Father’s Day surprise bud! Besides being so thoughtful, I’m happy we got to share that moment of you trying a new food for the first time and loving it just as much as I do. Happy early Father’s Day to all the dads out there!

Reviews Style

Skincare & Hydration With Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Line

Posted on November 1, 2019

Thanks to my wife schooling me on the importance of face care and me starting to notice the effects of aging, I’ve been pretty good with keeping up a routine of taking care of my skin. There are so many different products to use out there, so I always like to try and stick with brands I know I can trust. Neutrogena® is probably one of the first skincare brands I was ever really familiar with growing up and to me, they kind of feel like the OG of the skincare game! Over the years, I’ve always had at least had one product of theirs in my bathroom, and I know my wife uses some of their products, as well as their make-up, so it’s always been a go-to brand for my family. So, I was really excited to get to try out some new products from their new Hydro Boost line!

During the month of November, get a $10 rewards Visa when you spend $30 or more (excluding tax) on participating Neutrogena® products in one transaction. Click here for full offer details!

During summer months, I’m either working outside or beach & pool-side with the family, and during winter months, I’m usually working outside or skiing with the family. So, between the sun and the cold it can really beat up and dry out my skin. What I really like the most about the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Collection is that the products have purified hyaluronic acid in them, which is meant to really replenish the water in your skin and refresh & rehydrate it. I think for most men, including myself, that’s what our skin is probably lacking the most…moisture and softness.

My current routine starts every morning using the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost City Shield Eye Serum. Not sure if this is weird or not, but I don’t wash my face in the mornings because my skin tends to be on the dryer side. So when I wake up, I like to keep the little bit of natural oils I have intact. However, I wake up with puffy eyes and the wrinkles around my eyes are definitely more prominent in the mornings—so this serum is perfect for moisturizing this sensitive part of my face. It helps smooth out my crows feet and under-eye lines, and it just helps add some life to my tired eyes in the morning. I love how lightweight it is! Nothing’s worse than putting on an eye cream that feels heavy and sticky on your eyelid! This is the one product I actually use twice a day. I use it both in the morning and at night before bed, and I love that it both treats and protects the sensitive skin around my eyes. I’ve used other eye creams before that may have been too potent because they left the skin around my eyes red & irritated, but this one from Neutrogena is amazing and a keeper. I love how refreshing this little bottle looks too…so pretty!

Since I only wash my face once a day, I do so usually right when I get home from work in the shower, or right before bed, and that’s when I use the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser. I actually only started using exfoliating cleansers these past few years, as I never really liked how a gritty cleanser felt on my face. However, this one has such a super fine texture. I can barely feel the exfoliating elements, but I feel it just enough where I know it’s getting deep down in those pores to really deep clean. I really like the fact that it exfoliates my skin and removes all the dirt and oil but also leaves my skin feeling super soft and refreshed. My wife just started using it as well and even though she usually prefers a really gritty cleanser, she loves how small the little scrubbers are and how they really feel like they’re getting in and cleaning that hard-to-get area around the nose. We both really love that is works hard but is gentle and leaves behind a soft and polished face.

After I wash my face, I immediately moisturize with the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost Gel Cream and again with the eye serum around the eyes. I’m trying to keep this area as moisturized and taken care of as possible since this is definitely where my age is starting to show the most! I like to use the gel cream at night to help prevent waking up with a dry forehead. My forehead is one of my problem areas when it comes to dry skin, and it’s probably why I have most of my wrinkles in that area—I have them there and between my eyes. So, I make sure I get both of those areas as moisturized as possible so when I wake up, they’re usually not as defined.

So far, I am really loving using these 3 products from the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost line. I love the refreshing blue color of their packaging, the lightweight texture and feeling of each of the products, and the way my skin feels after using them in conjunction with each other. They say water is the best thing for your skin, so it only makes sense that my skincare products aid in increasing my skin’s hydration as well as locking it all in! My wife and I are both such fans of the Neutrogena® Hydro Boost line and even though our skin is completely different (mine is dry and her’s is oily), it works perfectly for both of us. I’m happy to have found a skincare routine that works for me from a brand I know and trust and is the #1 dermatologist recommended skincare brand. I love Neutrogena® and will definitely be introducing my son to it soon enough!

Style

My Randolph Blog Feature!

Posted on September 12, 2019

So excited to be featured on the Randolph Engineering blog! I have such a love for their sunglasses and already own 5 pairs. The quality and style of them are always on point and they always seem to complete all of my looks. Check out my blog feature!

Reviews Style

Tricks of an Influencer With Dapper Dots

Posted on April 1, 2019

Being a lifestyle blogger, I’m always trying to stay on my A game. Whether I’m out trying to shoot for the blog, taking wifey out for a drink, or just running around with the family I always want my look to be photoshoot ready! 🙂 So, I’m always down to try new products that are going to help the outfit details stand out, or not stand out and help me when I’m on the fly.

I can’t believe it has taken me so long to find out about Dapper Dots. Dapper Dots are a small double-sided tape in the shape of a small circle about the size of a dime, that come perfectly packaged in a small easy open & shut tin. These dots are strong enough for just about everything clothing related. Lose a button? Neck tie keep flopping around? Collar keep popping’ up? And the most hated of them all…have a floppy belt? No problem…Dapper Dots got you! All you have to do is grab one of the sheets from the pocket-sized tin, peel off one of the dots, remove the easy-to-remove backing and press the two pieces of clothing together and you are good to go!

When wifey and I went out shooting I ended up using Dapper Dots on my watch strap to keep it from sticking out. I can’t stand it when watch straps (just like belts) don’t stay tight to each other. I also used it to help show off a little chest and my new tattoo while trying to get the perfect collar crease to the top of my shirt. In the day of Instagram, these are perfect for guys and gals like me that are trying to get the perfect shot, with all the perfect details, when out and about. I can think of multiple occasions where I had to shoot a product that needed a little finessing before being shot, so my wife had to unfortunately photoshop out the safety pins and clips we had to use. How did I not know about these?! Seriously perfect for my lifestyle!

I can already think of more instances I’ll be needing my Dapper Dots for…like when I wear baseball caps that have that extra strap hanging in the back of the hat! These dots are made to just peel right off but strong enough to stay on all day. They won’t ruin your clothes like a safety pin either, and the fact that they’re clear makes them perfectly hidden! They’ve officially found a home in my glove box and have become part of my everyday shooting.

Use my code BLUECOLLARPREP to get 20% OFF your Dapper Dots order! They also make double-sided tape strips and a combo pack. Check them out so you can perfect all those outfit details!

Reviews Style

Grooming With Kiehl’s

Posted on September 17, 2017

Getting older sucks! The only thing worse than getting older is looking older. Growing up I took looking young for granted. You probably can’t tell now, but I used to have a baby face — at least that’s what everybody used to tell me! My father always looked young for his age as well — at least that’s what everybody used to tell him! LOL His era didn’t have the luxury of all of the great products we have now. So, growing up, I never knew the importance of taking care of my skin. This may sound a little strange, but, I never actually used to wash my face until a few years ago — I just thought the shampoo from my hair, the leftover body wash, and some water was good enough. (I know, please don’t cringe) I guess I just though soap was soap! I don’t plan on using product on Nathan quite yet (he’s only 5), but I do want him to at least know how to take care of his skin and how important it is. The more he sees me doing the right thing, the more likely he will hopefully continue to follow in my footsteps. He’s already curious with some of my grooming routines.

With so many products on the market, finding a grooming kit with all the right products working together nicely, makes it easy and a lot less intimidating. It also saves me from having to go to the store and figure out which combination of products I need. The Kiehl’s Nourishing Shampoo + Conditioner is tough enough to get out all of the concrete, plaster and other dust that I come in contact with at work or just the normal muck from traveling around the city shooting. It has a great woodsy eucalyptus smell which is a nice change from the stuff my wife buys. For years I used what my wife bought and most of the time my hair smelled like a pina colada…Not Cute. LOL

All that dust I work around, being out in all of the elements every day, plus being by the pool and beach all summer long can really dry out and take a toll on my face. I honestly feel like this is the first year where I’m starting to see that age on my skin! The Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing face wash gets my face clean without over drying, and, I can’t afford for my skin to become any drier. (I think it’s getting drier as I age). This is also the perfect face wash to get your skin ready for a shave.

Now, if you’re using normal shaving cream, you’re doing it all wrong! In my opinion, there’s nothing better than using the Kiehl’s Smooth Glider Precision Shave Lotion. You get a much better and smoother shave and there’s less chance of irritation – I haven’t used regular shaving cream in years. As I’m writing about it, this may all seem like a lot, but these are steps you’re probably going to take anyway, so if you’re going to do it, you may as well do it right – and with quality products with natural ingredients, from a brand that’s been around since 1851.

To finish my routine, I use the Kiehl’s Facial Fuel. It’s designed to help resist the effects of the elements and re-energize the skin without leaving you feeling oily.

Last but not least – you have to protect your lips just as much as your facial skin! My wife hates when I have chapped lips — and I have them a lot. When I do, it means 2 things: I’m probably going to steel her lip balm (which I do and then always seem to lose it – whoops LOL) and when she kisses me, it’s going to be against dry, rough lips. It would be irresponsible for me not to use the Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 to keep these lips in tiptop shape — if not for me, for the wife. 🙂

At 37, I really wish I would’ve started taking care of my skin much earlier, but I guess better late than never! Now to hide all the quality products and keep my wife from steeling them on me! If you’re a guy in the market for some new products, or need a good place to start to get on the road to starting to really take care of your skin, definitely give the Kiehl’s men’s line a shot!

This post is in partnership with Kiehl’s. However, all views and opinions are my own.

Family Reviews Style

Fit & Hydrated With Schweppes

Posted on July 17, 2017

This post has been sponsored by Schweppes, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Staying fit for the summer is not easy. I like to get out and enjoy myself as much as possible during the warmer weather, and that means having and going to BBQs, pina coladas by the pool, soft-serve ice cream, and lots of dining out by the water. To balance my intake, this means I have to put in the work and eat healthy when I’m not enjoying all of these fun summer perks. I usually go to the gym after work for about 30 minutes, and then once I’m home, later in the evening, my wife and I pick a home CrossFit WOD (workout of the day) and do it together. Owning a house, working full-time, blogging, and making sure I have plenty of time with my son Nate makes it hard to find time to stay fit, so we usually wait until after he’s in bed before my wife and I get to our workout together. We push aside our couches, get out our mattes, turn on some tunes, and make sure we have something for hydration before we get on with our workout. With these longer days of sunlight, we try to get outside as much as we can, and sometimes add in a little cardio to our routine so we’ll try to go for a jog around our beautiful neighborhood. Since my diet is pretty strict during most of my weekdays, I’m always looking for ways to add some flavor into my day without adding calories. Schweppes Black Cherry Seltzer is the perfect addition to my bland everyday drink, which is always a gallon of water infused with green tea bags. After working out, a lot of times I find myself craving some flavor, which could lead to a cheat meal or snack, but drinking my Schweppes Black Cherry Seltzer definitely gives me that something extra and just the right amount of flavor to curb my craving. My wife and I particularly love the Black Cherry flavor, and the light and bubbly freshness of it. We usually purchase both the bottle and pack of cans for at-home and on-the-go. Every Friday, during our weekly ShopRite run, we always make sure to stock up on our Schweppes for the week, and it’s nice that it’s always in stock there, which makes it convenient. I’ve always been a believer into not wasting your daily calorie intake on drinks, so even when I’m having my cheat meal or weekend snack, I still find myself grabbing a can of my Black Cherry Schweppes for that subtle burst of crisp flavor!

Style

Event Ready in Head to Toe Marshalls

Posted on April 21, 2017

The most important part of planning what you’re going to wear to an event is wearing something that you’re comfortable in. With that being said, it’s also good to step out of your comfort zone sometimes and try something new! I am and will forever be a denim guy. So unless I feel like the event is going to be very formal, I usually always wear denim but try to dress it up. I picked up this complete, head to toe, outfit from Marshall’s. I wore these designer Denim & Supply ($39.99) jeans and made them event-ready by pairing them with these great tan Joseph Abboud monk strap shoes (only $39.99). I love pairing blazers with denim. I love wearing suits, but I don’t really have the need for them in my daily wardrobe, so I end up getting my fix by wearing blazers. When I saw this designer blazer ($99.99), I really liked how the gold buttons contrast with the navy. The size of the jacket is a ‘short’, so the sleeves are a little shorter than you’d normally have a blazer fit, but, I actually liked how a little more of the sleeve was showing. I thought it gave it a little edge! When my wife saw the jacket on me, she confirmed – she also really liked how the jacket fit. I was really happy to also find this tan Todd Snyder shirt ($29.99). Not just because he is one of my favorite designers, but it’s hard to find a button down that has a slim fit that’s fits you to perfection! I literally topped my outfit off with a herringbone designer hat ($29.99). Check out my feature on the Marshall’s Blog!

Reviews Style

Beating Winter Bulkiness With a Slim Fit in Navas Lab

Posted on February 15, 2017

So you may have noticed that over the past year there has been a surge of technical garments. For the average person though, who just wants the look of the tech garment but doesn’t need it to be overly technical, NavasLab is a great choice. I got my hands on the NavasLab MADS jacket and I instantly became a fan of the company once I put it on! The inside is lined with polartec fleece, which makes the jacket super comfortable and surprisingly warm for such a lightweight jacket. The midweight soft-shell gives the jacket a very slim and fitted look (which is good since some hoodies and jackets make you look extra bulky). I like the detail of the bottom and how the back of the jacket is just a little longer than the front. The matching black zippers also adds to the refined look of the jacket. I also really dig the extra large pockets, which in this weather is great so you can fit your hands in your pockets even when you have gloves on! I already have plans to make this jacket one of my layers for when I go skiing. It’s perfect because it will keep me warm while I’m on the mountain and fashionable when I take off my ski jacket and head to the lodge bar. 🙂 The slim-fitting style is also perfect to fit right under my outer layer, without adding much bulk! From winter to chilly summer nights, it’s safe to say this jacket will be getting a lot of use! Their tech pieces are available in tall & slim (fit sizes L & XL)! All of NavasLab’s premium apparel goods are made right in Vancouver, Canada! It’s always refreshing when a company uses local vendors for their manufacturing needs, which allows them to be easily and heavily involved in the sampling of their pieces. Check this brand out and use code BCP1 to get 10% OFF Any NavasLab Purchase Until 3/31/17!

Reviews Style

#100PiecesOfPerry | PERRY ELLIS

Posted on September 27, 2016

I partnered up with the classic menswear brand, Perry Ellis, to take part in their #100PiecesofPerry campaign to showcase their fall collection. Perry Ellis decided to re-imagine the traditional runway show and take the concept to the streets with their fall collection. Follow along as the digital runway unfolds at #100PiecesOfPerry! I got to style and show how I would rock an all blue monochromatic look. This Large Plaid Wool Jacket is a perfect way to rock flannel without it being just another flannel shirt. I mean bomber + flannel = 🙂 right? I wore this blue long-sleeve button down and navy dress pant as well. I added a cuff to the bottom of my pants (as I seem to do more often than not) and added a tan/brown belt to add some texture and to break up the colorblocking just a bit! The hint of tan also compliments the navy and matched the details in the white Vans I wore. You know me, I always seem to sporty up my dressier looks!

Reviews Style

DAY TO EVENING IN MSX BY MICHAEL STRAHAN

Posted on August 24, 2016

My wife and I are always looking for ways to stay active and to try fun, new things to do together. We both recently started taking up golfing. My little man has also started…he looks too cute holding his new little golf bag! Most of the time we go golfing we usually try to make it a date night by following it up with dinner and some drinks. It can be kind of tricky to choose an outfit that I can wear golfing and be able to head straight to cocktails with little to no changing of the clothes. In comes my MSX by Michael Strahan Stretch Chino Pants from JCPenney. The polyester/spandex material makes them comfy enough to go golfing in (or to chase Nate around in) and will dry quickly to hide any sweat marks before I head out for a drink 🙂 I decided to do one of my favorite color combos and go full-on monochromatic. I paired the pants with a navy form-fitting shirt and pair of navy Converse. The pants are a very classic fit (and lightweight, and did I mention super comfortable with a bit of stretch?!) and I like more of a tight leg, so I decided to tight roll the bottom of the pants (which I actually do to a lot of my pants lately). To change the look from casual to a little more dressy, I paired them with my brown monk-strap shoes…navy and brown just always look so good together! I think both shoe styles work really well with this outfit, and really shows off the versatility of these Chino Pants!

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