The high life - flying first class for the first time!

My social media friends are probably ready to punch me because I just posted this selfie... But please forgive my excitement, it's my first time to ever fly first class! #DeltaAirlinesFan

These are lie-flat seats, and they come with "heavenly comfort Westin bedding." You even get a cute little Tumi amenities bag with toiletries!

I'm going to wrap myself in plushness and sleep this 7-hour flight to Amsterdam-- if I can stop watching movies long enough! Delta Airlines has the BEST in-flight entertainment, and that's the truth.

Got some ginger to ward off any motion sickness...

...to accompany some fancy eats! Filet mignon and buttermilk ice cream, anyone? So swank! THE DIET IS OFF, PEOPLE!

See y'all in Europe!  :)

Best purse EVER for travel!

Purses are not typically a big splurge item for me. I've gone years between buying purses, especially since I tend to receive beautiful hand-me-down bags from my mom or other relatives. But when I saw an amazing purse from Lo & Sons, I freaked out -- and HAD to have it!

Everybody, meet my new baby, the O.M.G. bag! It stands for "Overnight & Medium Gym bag," not "oh my gosh what a beautiful bag," haha.  :)  I cannot say enough about how pleased I am with my purchase. If you want a bag that does it all, this is IT.

There are two main reasons why I purchased this bag:

1. It has a convenient zipper side that opens on the top and bottom, allowing it to slide over your luggage carryon's handle. Now that my husband is a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, I've been on 16 flights in three months. I'm actually typing this blog on my phone as I wait in a plane to NYC, with a final destination of Amsterdam! 

So I really hate it when I'm running through an airport, and my purse is falling off the top of my rolling luggage. This eliminates that problem. This purse is SO coming with me to Europe! Look at my bag, all cute and travel-friendly in the Palm Beach International Airport this morning. It's secured on the handle, so it won't fall off!!

2.  It has a padded laptop compartment! So convenient for travel. It fits up to a 13-inch computer.

Some bonus features-- it has a detachable strap that makes it great for wearing it as a messenger bag, and a side-pocket internal key strap that secures your keys. I also like that the nylon material is water-resistant, and I feel super-organized with a spot for everything inside this bag!

FYI-- the company is having a 20% off sale! Get one now while it's hot!!!

Have you ever purchased a purse that you loved this much? What made it so unique? Comment below!

Tips for stand-by flying

In the past three months that my husband has been a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, I have taken 16 flights. I've learned that standby flying can be a blessing (it's free!) and a curse (you may not make it where you want to go).

Here's what I wish I had known when I first began flying standby:

1. Do not attempt to fly overseas on a summer weekend. This is when everyone is trying to fly! The likelihood that you will make it on your flight is dramatically reduced. I'm supposed to be flying back from Germany right now. Instead, I'm flying back from Louisiana. Which brings me to... 

2. Remain flexible and have a back-up plan. I was so overly confident I would make it to Germany, that I had no idea what to do next when the flight I wanted was completely full. Thankfully I had bumped into my college best friend when we were both at the Atlanta airport, and that inspired me to follow him to my Louisiana hometown.

3. Only pack a carry-on. Never ever ever ever check a bag when you fly stand-by! Who cares that it's free to check a bag when your bag is stuck where you had a layover and you landed in your final destination?! So inconvenient. Pack light, bring only your essentials and carry it on.

At least this Delta flight serves Starbucks! And it has wifi! And I'm in Economy Comfort Plus! No complaints here. :)

Have you ever been stuck somewhere because your flight didn't make it? Comment below!

4 steps to kill fruit flies without chemicals

Don't judge me 'cuz I got a fly problem

I live in South Florida, which is a beautiful thing. However, it is not just all sunny skies and blue oceans-- there are also weird lizards lurking everywhere, which is fine... but what is NOT fine are the fruit flies that infest my kitchen.

I thought it was just me, and maybe I am a secretly filthy individual with garbage problems. But that just can't be true-- I clean a lot and keep things tidy. I promise that I dispose of my garbage and recycle in a timely fashion! Still, I had concerns, until my neighbor admitted that they are a problem for her, too. Maybe it is the warm climate? No matter what the cause, I want those fruit flies gone!

So I Googled how to kill flies without chemicals (because I am all about living as ToxicFree as possible-- I'm a rep for the Healthy Home Company! Chemical-free choices, y'all!) and I found a super easy way to get rid of them.

This fruit fly does not realize it's committing suicide-- DIE, FLY, DIE!

Here are the steps:

1. Pour apple cider vinegar (I used the kind from Braggs, which has the raw "mother" in it) into a mason jar. If you follow my blog, you know I love making salads in these jars! If you don't have vinegar, try red wine.
2. Create a funnel with paper and tape.
3. Put the funnel into the jar...
4. Add a drop of dish soap-- that breaks the surface tension so they can't just fly away, they drown (insert evil laugh).
5. Bonus points if you add ripe fruit!

These flies love fermentation, so they're attracted to the vinegar. 

eeeewwww dead flies

This may take a few hours, so have patience. I kept checking the jar the first couple of hours or so, and NOTHING WAS HAPPENING... so I was like, "Ugh, this must not work. Guess I'll have to keep swatting these dad-gum flies."

Then the next morning, lo and behold-- two dead flies! It gives me a twisted, perverse pleasure to keep counting the dead bodies I'm racking up. "You will no longer be landing in my green smoothie that I freshly blended, mwahaha!"

It is really disturbing to see just how many were floating around my atmosphere. All I can say is that at least I know there are this many fewer now!

UPDATE: After I posted this article, my friend Corey Greenwood said he tried it. Here's what he says about how it worked for him:

"I went to the store and got apple cider vinegar. I wasn't going to mess around. I made this and sat it by the kitchen sink where they were mostly at. Within seconds, two of them had already landed and were trying to figure out how to get down the funnel. Within minutes, there were five already inside. This is legit."

Corey's successful death trap for the fruit flies

What other ways have you tried to naturally combat an infestation? Comment below! 

Green smoothies: the ultimate health drink!

Want to make a quick, easy meal that's the most healthful, nutritious and delicious drink ever? Try making a green smoothie! 

Check out my CruzTube video that shows you how I make one.

I’ve been making green smoothies for probably about a decade, ever since I read the book Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko. In the book, she talks about how the best way for your body to absorb nutrients from fresh, leafy green vegetables is to blend them into a smoothie. The first time she tried it, she said it smelled awful, really strong like wheatgrass. Although I grow my own wheatgrass and juice it daily, I’m not a huge fan of the smell. As you can see in this video, I just use my special method of drinking it down like medicine, LOL!

But the magic happened when Boutenko added bananas. She said that one simple act transformed the smoothie into something delicious. I always put a banana in my green smoothie, although there are many recipes that don’t call for it.

I used my Magic Bullet blender to make my green smoothies for a really long time, but I’m so glad that they came out with the Nutribullet. It’s just bigger, and I needed that! I recommend using a 20% off coupon (you know you always get them in the mail) and getting yours from Bed Bath & Beyond.

Organic dandelion greens, banana and a mango from Haiti

You could also use a regular blender, but be prepared that it won’t work as well and you will have to blend it longer. Try adding some ice to make the consistency creamier and smoother. Ice also thickens it up without adding any calories. The book The Abs Diet said in a blind study, people who drank smoothies with ice felt fuller longer than those who had the same exact smoothie, but blended without the ice.

If you’re brand-new to green smoothies, try organic baby spinach as your leafy green. It’s a great “starter” since it tastes so smooth! Another tip is to seek out fresh fruits that are in season for extra nutrients and flavor.

There are a million green smoothie recipes out there, but here is my basic formula:

1.  A handful of fresh greens, approximately 1 cup

2.  One banana, fresh or frozen

3.  A handful of berries or fruit like mango, about ½ to 1 cup – frozen bags of fruit are quick because they’re pre-chopped

4.  1 cup of water

5.  Optional—protein powder or Greek yogurt (I add a pinch of stevia if I use yogurt), or even some nuts/seeds if you want the protein and fat while remaining vegan

I typically put all the ingredients into my Nutribullet tall cup at night, and then just blend it in the morning. Then I pour it into a Tervis cup and head to work.

My vessel of choice: it prevents spills and "sweating" plus it keeps the smoothie chilled

It’s nice to use a Tervis with a pattern on it that kind of masks the fact that you’re drinking a green smoothie. Although they are becoming more mainstream now, green smoothies are still not as widely recognized as I wish they were—and I STILL receive comments that make me feel like someone’s judging my healthful drink (don’t hate on my green smoothies, y’all).  ;)

Have you ever tried making a green smoothie? If so, what’s your recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

Mason jar salads: healthful meal prepping, quick and easy!

I'm obsessed with easy-to-make, healthful mason jar salads! It's the best way to keep your greens from getting soggy with dressing on them, since the dressing stays on the bottom.

These salads will stay fresh in your fridge for up to a week, although I recommend consuming them more quickly if you do choose to make them with a soft cheese, like I did in this video.

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When you make a mason jar salad, here are some guidelines:

Step #1. Put dressing on the bottom
Step #2. Add hard veggies and fruit (I used zucchini and baby beets, but other good ones are carrots, peppers, onions and celery)
Step #3. Add beans and legumes, you could also throw in grains/quinoa
Step #4. Add soft veggies and fruit such as avocado, tomato, mushroom
Step #5. Stuff your greens on top! Pack it in there!
Step #6. Top with nuts and seeds, and sometimes I throw in some bacon bits and/or green onions

When you're ready to eat your salad, if you have a runny-type dressing like the first salad I made in the video, you can just shake it up then dump it all on a plate. However, if you have a creamier dressing like the second salad I show here, then you may have to scrape the bottom out with your fork and spread the dressing around.

Have you ever tried making a mason jar salad? If so, what is your favorite recipe? Let me know in your comments below!

#LillyLied... Lusting for #LillyForTarget and going CROSS COUNTRY for it!

Before I moved to Florida, I had never heard of Lilly Pulitzer. I learned of her fashion legacy when I was assigned to do this report for WPTV when she passed away at the age of 81. She was a style icon, and to me, her clothing represented sunshine and happiness. As soon as I got a look at her styles, I immediately fell in love!

Since I try to keep my spending under control, I have never purchased my own "Lilly" (her iconic shift dress). My best friend Rikki generously gave me a "Lilly" for a gift last year, and I freaked out and am so grateful... but the likelihood of me ever getting my own was pretty slim.

My one and only Lilly...

Until Target announced a collaboration with Lilly Pulitzer, and I realized this was IT! A once-in-a-lifetime chance to get AFFORDABLE LILLY! I spent the weeks leading up to today's launch studying up on the Lookbook, trying to figure out what I wanted, making my list and checking it twice...

So I showed up at the Royal Palm Beach Target at 7:50 a.m. this morning. Granted, I have a friend who woke up at 3:30 a.m. so obviously I wasn't as committed as she was... but I was still shocked to see the line wrap around the building.

Then once I was inside, I quickly realized it was an #EpicFail for Target, since only the first dozen or so shoppers lucked out. They greedily grabbed EVERYTHING they could, piling their shopping carts high (byotches!). They wiped out the stock within minutes. Literally, five minutes. I know the website crashed overnight... it was just a HOT MESS.

One lady was super-rude, and was flaunting her finds in front of everyone. Then she was loud and abrasive, trying to trade the stuff she had. "I'm trying to trade, I'm ONLY trying to trade items!" is what she was shouting. Ok, we get it! You grabbed everything and left all the other customers hanging and now you're walking around still trying to work the system! Greedy guts.

So I grabbed a nail polish just to say I got something...

...then as I was checking out, I changed my mind because I realized I was too frustrated and disappointed, since I really wanted a DRESS! I will admit, though, that the woman behind me snatched it from me when I told her I didn't want it any more. That's how the shopping experience at Target truly was, so Black Friday-ish!

This is what I Instagrammed and tagged Target and Lilly Pulitzer

Very disappointed customer!

But then my brain started working in overtime... I realized I have family and friends across the country! I started working the phone and texting people, trying to be all casual with it, like, "Oh, hey, do you happen to live near a Target?" The amount of confused responses I got reminded me that the majority of people don't care so much about this particular designer brand, LOL! My Florida girls would know EXACTLY why I asked that question! ;) 

So my awesome friend Carolyn said she would swing by her Target in Virginia, and she Facetimed with me about what they had. She picked me up the Boom Boom print satin jumpsuit-- which I love, because it has pockets!

I even texted my cousin Rob in San Francisco because he actually is a manager at a Target-- but unfortunately it was his day off. I was also randomly texting my Louisiana friends, too! So if you got a text from me asking about Target, now you know why. 

When I spoke with Rikki about our disappointed experiences, she mentioned, "I feel like the only state that would not sell out would be Alaska." I said, "Hey-- I have family in Alaska!" I started texting my cousin and aunt in Alaska!!! HA! I was seriously trying hard!!! My aunt even said she'll stop by her nearest store in Wasilla tomorrow to see if anything is left... but of course I called that store and it's wiped out, too.

Ria, my friend from high school (representing the G/T clique), commented on my Facebook video of the morning shopping madness that she would be happy to go to her Arkansas Target to get me some goods. I was excited-- until I called that Target, and of course they were wiped out. She was shocked, but at that point, I was not surprised.

Then, Jeni, a Louisiana friend that used to work with me at KTVE, messaged me that she was actually at Target and looking at Lilly stuff! She was awesome, going around the entire store and sending me photos-- she finally GOT ME THIS DRESS!

THANK YOU, JENI!!! Yaaaaaaay

Believe it or not, I actually told her not to get it at first because I wasn't sure if I wanted orange. I wore a lot of orange last fall, so I wasn't exactly feeling it when I first saw the dress (although obviously I should have snatched it anyway since it was the last dress and just happened to be my size). But what made me fall in love with it is that I realized that it has GIRAFFES on it! Hello, I work at a zoo! That is absolutely perfect for me.

So although I had to work the phone cross-country to get my Lilly, I'm very happy. Having said that, I just want to have a moment of sympathy for the people who really, really, really wanted Lilly as badly as I did... *SAD*

Now you know what I had to go through to get this stuff, so if you ever see me wearing it, definitely holla. :) Thanks for reading my story!