FASHION

FASHION
FASHION

BEAUTY

BEAUTY
BEAUTY

FOOD

FOOD
FOOD

TOP OF THE ROCKIES : SNOWMOBILING,HIKING,SNOWTUBING

                                        

It is no secret that we love to travel! But sometimes, I get lazy and the travelogues don't make it to the blog. Would you believe it If I told you that only 10% of travels, have made it to my blog! one of my goals this year, is to chronicle our travel diaries more! Starting off with the trip with which we ended 2020 - Leadville, Colorado! Or more commonly referred to as the Top of the Rockies! Leadville is a former silver mining town, that lies among the headwaters of the Arkansas River, in the Rocky Mountains! Leadville is home to Mt. Elbert, the highest summit of the Rockies, hence the name, the Top of the Rockies! 

I have been to Colorado so many times, that I must have lost count! And while we have often visited our favorite haunts, we also love to discover newer towns and newer sights! Our initial trip to Colorado was canceled as Blaze was detected with Cancer. So we put together a last-minute trip once he completed his chemotherapy. We drove with Blaze from Kansas City, as he had to be a part of the vacation! 

One of the highlights of our trip was the Snowmboling adventure. While I and my husband had done snowmobiling in the Rockies, earlier, it would be the first time for Rii! We had booked for the 2-hour tour! Our daughter was to ride with my husband, and I was riding alone! The tour started off with the normal protocol, of us signing the waivers and learning about the vehicle, and then heading to our first stop! I can not believe how excited and surprised we were when we saw that White Mountain Snowmobile crew had up and a mini snowmobile, all revved up and waiting for Rii! And you should have seen the 7-year-old, swerve and zoom across the snow! She didn't tumble once and enjoyed herself to the fullest! This isn't something I have seen with other providers, so this provider comes highly recommended. 

And that's not all! In my previous snowmobiling adventures, w head to take our own pictures! White Mountain Snowmobile Tours had a fabulous photographer zoom across in her snowmobile, and capture the best moments! Yes, that's available at a price, but that price is really reasonable! We paid around $50 for some amazing pictures of our family! And each frame was fabulous! 
We had opted for the Prospector Tour with White Mountain Snow Mobile Tours. It's a two-hour guided tour that features groomed trails and spectacular views of 14,000 feet mountains. For Covid, they aren't providing any boots or winter gear! So make sure you are dressed in ski-appropriate outfits! They do provide helmets, which have been sanitized. The tour groups are fairly small and the ride is spectacular! One can't deny that snowmobiling is one of the best ways to explore America's snow-lined back country! The final pitstop of the snowmobile tour shows you Mt. Elbert in all its glory! 


And did you think, we would not head back after we finished the tour, to ensure Blaze soaked in the sights too! This is Blaze's second trip to Colorado and he is an absolute trooper of a boy! Did I tell you how much he enjoys the snow, and how difficult it is to bring him in when he sees so much snow to play in. We thoroughly enjoyed the Turquoise Lake area. It is a great place for some hikes across trails, or snowshoeing, as a family. We enjoyed the sunset atop Sugar Loaf  Dam, in the Turquoise Lake area. 


Highly recommend the Mineral Belt Trail in Leadville, Colorado, if you are looking to hit the trails! Do not take your car to the trails, as it's not meant for it! This trail loops the city of Leadville, traveling through aspen groves, conifer forests, wildflower meadows, and open vista sage parks. The Mineral Belt Trail has numerous trailheads and access points, offering unsurpassed views of the Sawatch and Mosquito ranges. 
The idea was to fill our days with as much activity as we could. So after a morning spent at the Mineral Belt Trail, we hit the slopes again, at Dutch Henry Snow Tubing Hill! We rented a couple of tubes and had the best of times. Dutch Henry Hill is open every day in Winter, weather permitting. 





Let's talk about our cute accommodations, shall we! We rented the cuts home in Leadville, Colorado! Its was pet-friendly needless to say! You could literally see the slipes from every room of the house and the natural light was fabulous! 

And we must have gone back to the Mineral Belt Trail, during a blizzard! 

The last time we had dined out as a family was to celebrate our daughter's birthday in mid-March! With the pandemic and with my husband being immune-compromised, dining out was not an option! We took a leap of faith when we saw a somewhat empty restaurant, in downtown Leadville - Tennessee Pass Cafe! It was after lunch hours and was too early for dinner! the staff wore masks, the tables were socially distanced. The food was delish and the service was great. Need we ask for more. Can't tell you how much we had missed the simple joy of eating out, as a family! 
I and Deb opted for some local brews along with our soups! 
Deb opted for the Buffalo meatloaf! 
Rii opted for buffalo sliders! 
And I opted for their signature Buffalo Burger! 
Last but not the least, it was so much fun exploring the historic downtown LeadvilleMuch of Leadville’s downtown—70 square blocks surrounding Harrison Avenue—is designated a National Historic Landmark District of Victorian architecture. In this colorful district, see buildings built between 1880 and 1905, including the largest opera house west of the Mississippi, the saloon visited by Oscar Wilde, and two historic 1879 churches.



So if you are looking for a trip to Colorado, which doesn't do the typical touristy spots, head to Leadville, Colorado! 



0

MOM JEANS: EXPRESS STYLE FILES

               







So are you Team Skinny Jeans and Side Parts? I am partial to both! While I couldn't do away with the side part, I must have started trying out different fits for my denim! As you had seen last month, that I thoroughly enjoyed myself when I tried out the Denim Jogger from Express! This time around, I decided to try out Super High Waisted Black Released Hem Mom Jeans from Express! Also moved from my comfort level of blue denim to pitch black! 

I have been a mom for almost 8 years now, and will you believe me, if I tell you that this is my first pair of mom jeans! And now I know why this fit is such a cult favorite! This denim is super comfortable, yet it is not a stretch, lycra denim if I might add! Don't get me wrong, all of us are so used to the super stretch denim, so this was a welcome break to opt for something which was old-school denim! I had to size up from Size 2 which is my size in stretch denim, as the Jogger Denim, to a Size 6, for the most comfortable fit! 

Paired the denim with one of the statement and versatile tops - Satin Pleated Balloon Sleeve Top! Denim is something which can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on what you pair it with! Pair it with a neutral tee and white sneakers, and you have a super casual outfit of the day! Pair it a dressier shirt, like the one shared above, and you are ready for that Zoom meeting for your work! I paired it with leopard boots, as the Midwest is recovering from a Polar Vortex, hence this month's post is slightly delayed! Come warmer weather, I would pair it with a strappy nude sandal! 

So you might be on either side of the Skinny Denim controversy, Express has you covered with its whole new range of denim, featuring fresh fits, washes, leg shapes, and so much more! Besides the Super High-Rise Mom, Denim Jogger, some of the other fits include Super High-Rise Slim, Super High-Rise Skinny, and Mid-Rise Skinny! All jeans are $45 now, so go ahead and give yourself a denim treat! 

Stay warm and take care!



Huge Thank you to my friend Bodhisatwa Basu of Bodhisatwa Basu Photography and Bodhipix, for shooting these amazing photos! 





0

FIREPLACE REMODEL & LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN REVEAL

                          




















Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope all of you had a wonderful day, so far! And if you are in the KC metro area, hope you stayed warm! So over this Polar Vortex, I tell you! While we celebrate Valentine's Day as a family, every year, this year, we decided to do something different! Rather than getting gifts for each other, we commissioned a much-needed remodel of our fireplace surround! We bought a move-in ready home, 3 years ago! We have an open concept home, as I have revealed many a seasonal-decor post, here on the blog! 

We started our remodel journey, with the kitchen! Custom cabinets, new color on the island, new color on the walls, to start off with! Then went on to matching stainless steel appliances across the kitchen! While I had done a paint DIY to the fireplace surround 2 years ago, we knew it was time to get the professionals involved! The warm stones and the cream surround was not cutting it anymore for us. 

The idea was to get black stone tiles and wall surround! We opted for black slate tiles, which turned out to be more charcoal, than black! We had bought the black paint for the surround, till we realized, that we have a black dog, and we take loads of pictures near the fireplace! In keeping with the cooler tones, we had used for the kitchen cabinets, and island, we took a bold step, and opted for navy! The idea has always been to create a space that was modern, and most importantly, which reflected our personalities! Me and my husband, are free-spirits at heart, and we felt our home should reflect who we are, and what we like! 

Our decor style has been a mix of farmhouse-industrial, so the navy and charcoal fireplace fits in perfectly, with its moody vibes! We have greys, blues, greens, and loads of wood and metal! I had always wanted to share glimpses of our home, so this new year, I thought, I will do a room by room reveal, of our house, here on the blog! 


0