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The holidays are officially here and they aren't going anywhere!

Today I am here to make your mouths water, and get your desert tables ready for Christmas!

And of course, no, I am not a baker..but had so much fun learning from my friend Kendal today who is a beautiful baker. I swear she was a pastry chef in a past life. And her adorable little son Owen—well the apple doesn’t far from the tree.

We really hope you enjoy the pics and the recipes that we used. (all calorie free, of course-HA)

RecipesSamantha RubleDecember 20, 2018Comment

Soaptopia// Junk Free All Natural Soap

I know many of you might need some last minute stocking stuffers and beautiful products for your guest bathrooms too this Christmas season so today I want to share Soaptopia with you!

Their SOAPstory began as a vision in Venice, California in 2005, and has blossomed to fill the homes and hearts of customers with alluring smells, moisturizing lathers, and products that are pumped with personality.

While ever-searching for the perfect pure and natural solution for her allergies to most products that saturated the market, Soaptopia founder Jolie Chitwood explored new alternatives, hoping to find a product that was equal parts nourishing, natural, and enveloped in a yummy scent. She experimented with her own concoctions, and her newfound solution became an inspiration to focus on the energetic aspects of healing, and understanding of how energy moves within our bodies. She created her own handmade soaps, transforming her home into an apothecary of sensory bliss, filled with flowers and natural oils, and immersed herself in the study of herbal holistic education.

BeautySamantha RubleDecember 14, 2018 Comments

MAKING THE MAKER, AN INTERVIEW WITH JARED PERMENTER & A BOLOGNESE BRUSCHETTA RECIPE FOR YOUR HOLIDAY PARTIES

Happy Wednesday dears!! You are in for a treat today, as I have been talking with Jared Permenter of c2 Woodworks. I met him at An Affair of The Heart in Tulsa in November and really fell in love with his beautiful boards. His products are stunning! And I am have been using the board he gifted me non stop since I received it.

Also sharing a delish Bolognese Bruschetta recipe at the end of this post for you too!!! You can see Jared’s board in action. HA!

Features, Home, RecipesSamantha RubleDecember 12, 2018Comment

PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE PIZZA RECIPE

This Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza is a perfect combo of savory and sweet which is such a winning combo: fall pears, summer sausage, creamy & rich truffle goat cheese, and balsamic vinegar. It’s simple, elegant, and perfect for a little fancy dinner gathering!!!!!! I am loving any recipes with pears currently!!!

And it’s so simple!!!!! And so beautiful !!!

RecipesSamantha RubleDecember 9, 2018Comment

Vintage Valentino Of My Dreams

Visited the tree farm over the weekend to find this year’s Christmas tree and I wore the most beautiful Vintage Valentino coat from my sweet silver fox! It’s from one of my favorite consignment shops in Austin. And it’s just exquisite my dears!

I looooove coats so much! And this one is just the perfect addition!

StyleSamantha RubleDecember 9, 2018Comment

E-mail Marketing Solutions With Emma

Anyone else receive a trillion Black Friday emails?! And now a trillion sale holiday emails for Christmas?! Anyone hitting the unsubscribe button?!

Ohh..I am definitely guilty as charged! HA!

But in all seriousness this got me thinking about my own brand and newsletter which I really need to get back into the habit of sending again especially for some of my email marketing campaigns. If I may 100% frank, I stopped a year ago because as soon as I sent them I would have at least 2-4 people unsubscribe and it really hurt my feelings, especially if one of the un-subscribers was a good friend whom I support in business. OUCH! Have you had that happen too? It is the worst feeling. Like the world is already cruel enough and I did not need to self inflict pain on myself….am I right?!

FeaturesSamantha RubleDecember 7, 2018Comment

Visiting Boston’s Seaport District In November//New England Fall

Every time I visit Boston, I enjoy it more and more. As a creature of habit, I do tend to visit a lot of the same places because I love them, but always add something new to my trip each time.

Lin and I have family there so this is our third trip to New England and we look forward to it every year. If you are looking for a guide to Boston’s most “Instagrammable” places, you can find it here. It’s still one of my most read travel guides to date. We decided to travel Maine’s coast prior to our Boston trip and I highly recommend everyone seeing this part of the world! Read my 7 day Maine itinerary before you plan! Cape Liz and Kennebunkport are must sees!

There are so many areas in Boston but we really wanted to explore The Seaport District this go around and of course I wanted to spend some time in The lovely North End too. I just have so many favorites there so it’s hard to not just spend all of my time there.

City GuidesSamantha RubleDecember 6, 2018 Comments

Grand Hotel//Kennebunkport Travel Diary

The final hotel on our Maine coastal fall road-trip proved to be quite something!

T H E P L A C E T O S T A Y

The Grand Hotel in Kennebunk, Maine, sits prominently on Chase Hill, just steps away from bustling, downtown Kennebunkport. Featuring classic New England architecture and elegantly appointed decor, the hotel offers views of lively Dock Square and Lower Village. It’s the most perfect ideal spot to enjoy everything the town has to offer. There’s just no denying it! Grand Hotel has that warm beautiful boutique feel and the location is just superb!

City GuidesSamantha RubleDecember 6, 2018Comment

INN BY THE SEA: A LUXURY RETREAT IN CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE

In early November, Lin and I spent 7 days traveling The Maine Coast which you can read all about here. On day 6 we met the beautiful Cape Liz for the first time and ya’ll….this special place has just stolen a piece of my heart. It's natural beauty at its best!

Cape Liz is stunning. We spent some time exploring the area’s most picturesque lighthouses and their picturesque surroundings in the freezing cold rain! We began at Two Lights State Park (free admission), where Maine’s first "twin" lighthouses were erected on the rocky shore in 1928. (The scenery inspired Edward Hopper’s painting Lighthouse at Two Lights.) Then we made our way to Fort Williams Park next and climb into the tower of Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light. Just see for yourself…..

Les Chiens, City GuidesSamantha RubleDecember 5, 2018Comment

Scenic Drive Traveling Maine's Coast To Boston In The Fall// 7 day Maine Itinerary

On November 1st Lin and I landed in Bangor Maine to travel the coast down to Boston. This trip had been on my bucket list as long as I can remember and I am so happy that we followed through. Maine’s Route 1 road trip is as quintessential New England as the West Coast’s Route 1 drive is classic California. While this itinerary starts from Bangor Maine and heads down the coast to Kennebunkport, it can certainly be enjoyed in the opposite direction too. There are two ways to go about this ride: Make a lot of stops on the way up and then power home. Or, pick a few pit stops for the way up, and save a few for the way back. There are so many various options.

A lot of planning went into my itinerary and I really hope you enjoy seeing Maine’s beautiful coast through my eyes—the must-see’s and must-do’s and the amazing culinary scene…OMG. This was such an incredible 7 days and I will forever remember every second of Maine’s endless cute towns and all the lobster rolls!

City GuidesSamantha RubleDecember 5, 2018Comment

Naturopathic Approach to HPV//An Interview With Dr. Elizabeth Goldspink, ND

Friends, I just got back from a two week long Thanksgiving trip to Houston and was able to unplug for a bit!! I so needed that too!

I am so excited to really get the Q and A portion of my blog going again and I am thrilled for you to meet Dr. Goldspink today! She is a healer and is inspiring the heck out of me.

Dr. Elizabeth Goldspink (Stavros), ND graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, Canada, where she completed a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine (ND). She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Ottawa. As a Clinical Intern in both general medicine and adjunctive cancer care at CCNM, Dr. Goldspink focused her training and research on disease prevention, longevity, and naturopathic oncology.

Features, Health + WellnessSamantha RubleDecember 4, 2018 Comments