Beetle House NYC

Happy Halloween!

I figured today was the perfect day to share about our recent trip to Beetle House in NYC. Beetle House is a restaurant based on all things Tim Burton, from the decor to the menu. Since David is a huge fan of Beetlejuice the movie, I knew he would love it there.

I started looking for reservations as soon as David and I bought our New York Comic Con tickets but it was booked for months in advance. I was lucky enough to get a same day reservation the morning of Comic Con so I surprised Dave as we were leaving the Con.

Beetle House is located in the East Village and is a very small restaurant, which is probably why reservations are required to dine.  The entire place consisted of a bar that holds roughly 10 seats, and or 5-8 dining tables depending on the configuration. We were lucky enough to get the front window booth so we had plenty of space but some of the tables in the back were a bit more cramped.  I'm not sure our bags would have fit under the table and there was no room to put them down otherwise.

We started off at the bar while we waited for our table and ordered a Fishbowl drink to share.  The bartender was energetic and personable and put on a show as he made it.  The drink was made with Nerd candies,and finished off with Swedish Fish. Seriously so good. I'm pretty sure I could drink it on my own.

Before we could finish it however, they brought us to our table. I loved our seats not only for the space, but for the great view of the bar.  Like I said, the whole place pays homage to Tim Burton so the place was covered in art from movies like Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and the Corpse Bride to name a few.

Even though they are not officially attached to Tim Burton, they use creative license to make the food inspired as well.  Items like the Cheshire Mac or the Veggie Corpse Burger sit on the menu. David ordered the Willy Burger and I had the Showtime Shrimp Quesadilla.

Dave's burger was delicious. Cooked perfectly and topped with bacon, pineapple, fried onions, and maple bbq sauce.  My quesadillas were the perfect sized portion and stuffed with cheese, shrimp, guacamole, served along side a garlic sour cream.

The flavors are ecclectic but so delicious and the chefs put on a show.  The Mad Shrimp is served while still engulfed in flames!

         

Eating at Beetle House NYC is truly an experience.  I am so happy that we were able to get last minute reservations! The place is booked months in advance so I advise that you look for a Sunday reservation, which is when we could get one, or plan ahead! Dave and I seriously can't wait to go back.

xo, Heather

Pure Vida

Disclaimer: I was provided bracelets to facilitate this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel like 95% off the packages that show up to my house are for the kids so I was beyond excited when these gorgeous bracelets showed up last week. I've seen Pure Vida in a couple of local boutiques so I looked into the company even more after they arrived.

I love the premise of them: two guys go on vacation and fall in love with the culture. They ask locals to create 400 bracelets to take home with them and the entire line is created. Each bracelet is hand crafted and amazing quality, plus each bracelet supports local artisans.

My jewelry box still holds beaded bracelets from my service trip to Belize so it got me right in the heart. 

The Pura Vida Charity Collection was created to give back to different causes all over the world. Pura Vida is partnered with over 190 charities and have donated more than $935,358 to date. Some of my favorites are Anxiety Awareness, Breast Cancer Awareness, Depression Awareness, Autism Awareness, and Mental Health Awareness. They also donate 1% of their annual net revenue to environmental organizations worldwide. The goal to continue to expand the charity line and support as many causes as possible.

Random Act of Kindness is one of my favorite causes. This world can get so ugly so I try once a week to do a Random act of kindness and part of me really wants to stock pile these bracelets to give away...

I am seriously so in love with the aesthetic and the message. While the company doesn't say the offer a Zen quality, for me, they remind me to slow down and ponder...

You can check out Pure Vida's full selection of bracelets on their website as well as their accessories and clothing line.

The real question just becomes, do you buy them for yourself? Or as gifts?

xo, Heather

Strolling into Fall with the Joovy ScooterX2

Disclaimer: I was provided with a stroller to facilitate a review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

It's officially Fall yall.
We had a couple of super warm days in the past week and I've really loved getting in a few more warm walks, holding on to our warmer days.

Obsessed with our new ride for walks around the neighborhood! @joovy

A photo posted by Heather (@heathgiff) on Aug 25, 2016 at 3:18pm PDT

As much as I love our VaryLight Tandem Stroller, I've been looking for a side by side stroller for our walks.  I had a jogger but it was super old and run down, even missing the front tray/bar. Not exactly perfect and when the tire started going flat, I knew it was time to upgrade.

The amazing people at Joovy sent us this gorgeous ScooterX2 and I am just in love.

Like always, Joovy offers it all in a gorgeous design.

The double stroller holds two children, each up to 45 lbs, but still offers the convenience of fitting through our doorway!
The seats recline individually and I honestly love the set up.  You simply loosen up the strap to recline and pull the strap tighter to sit the seats upright.
The front offers a footrest for my tall kids and a safety bar to help keep them in.
There is a huge canopy that keeps them completely tucked away from the sun when needed but it offers a big viewing window for me to keep an eye on them!

Each seat has a mesh cup holder that is great for storing my water bottle or my house keys while we're out. The huge basket was perfect for us when we went to the Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular and brought along my purse, some blankets, diaper changes, and some snacks! I'm a huge babywearer, but this stroller is perfect when both kids need to be pushed around, like our town fair and looking at pumpkins!

My favorite part is that, like the VaryLight, the ScooterX2 offers a 1 handed fold! It's so simple to open and close and is light enough for me to lift in and out of the van. 

I love the vibrant, gorgeous color of our ScooterX2, but you'll have to check out the full listing on the Joovy page and let me know your favorite color!

xo Heather