21

Brighty Brights

Leo Mazzotti

Manuela Co

FEME EMPIRE

Hyalya

CHIC NYC

Lost diamond

Fresh Frenzy

GG

KEZA

KINTASIN

Givác Roma

Heart of Hestia

DRIVE DENIM

Veronique Collection

Twisted Eyewear

naityz

Ephemeral Fits

Diamond Lush

iWearTrend

SwimStark

Travel Diary: Spring Hill Avenue, Mobile, Alabama 🌼

source: Airbnb

  When you think of spending a holiday with your family, you probably think crowded rooms, loud halls, anxious pets and lots of smells. Last Fall, my family and I stumbled upon a modish alternative to the customary. In late November, when the leaves on the ground were all beginning to crisp, and the weather wavered between warm with light clouds and needing a coat at night, we found this quaint, quiet canary yellow two-story that’s architecture said everything historical Alabama. For a city with rich Southern history like Mobile, this was everything you'd bank to experience in the Yellowhammer State. Two short palm trees adorned the front yard, which were surrounded by much bigger yard mates that added the overall relaxing shade to the landscape. A paneled yellow house hiding beneath the antebellum oaks with its black shutters and white outlining finishes was exactly what me, my mother, my four siblings and my two nephews ordered.

source: Airbnb

  We found Agatha’s Historic Home on an Airbnb listing with an introduction that read “wonderful for business guests, families and groups alike.” When walking into the 1800's house, my eyes were immediately drawn to the polished hardwood floors, the soaring ceilings and rooms “reminiscent of the old south”, as the internet subtly described. My travel-haze and sometime fear of flying suddenly all seemed very worth it. We were to spend 4 days and 3 nights in what was a home named for the early family's live-in housekeeper, caregiver and cook for many, many years. On day one, I wanted nothing but to spend all my time in the single bedroom that I'd chosen, just off the kitchen. (Being the busy-minded millennial that I am, it wasn’t until the end of my stay that I realized that I had chosen what must’ve been the home's namesakes former room.)

source: Airbnb

 When opening the door, I saw a single bed in the middle of a medium sized room, a ½ bath, a strategically placed clothes hanging space complete with a laundry basket and hangers, and a window looking out to the bright green grass of the side yard behind thick curtains. The sink was on the outside of this perfect little cubby reserved for the toilet and shower amenities. I thought it was perfect for the traveling woman. As a single traveler, I didn’t want to end up staying in an unfamiliar room that was huge, so this was great. The room's inhabitant 60 years ago may not have had the same traveler’s routine while living there, but I'm sure she was just as happy in the immaculate little space. The shuffling of my five year old nephew's feet down the hallway added a comforting background noise to settling in. I turned on the room's heating and went to explore the rest of the house.

  Each room seemed to be bigger than the last. With 5 bedrooms, 5 beds and 2.5 baths, Agatha's was welcoming and accommodating to 12 guests. The seven of us were rummaging around trying to choose which room we each wanted, checking out the kitchen and common spaces. One of my brothers ended up on one of the common room couches but there were no complaints. Nights were quiet and all you could seem to hear was the sound of serenity and the occasional yard crickets. Within each room you couldn’t hear any noise from the next, and the atmosphere brought on the wanting to use your inside voice. I drink a cup of tea every morning instead of coffee, so of course I brought it along with me in my suitcase to indulge my usual habit, although the kitchen was fully stocked with all the necessary morning essentials.

source: Airbnb

source: Airbnb

source: Airbnb

  I headed up the creaking, single-file designed stairs at one point to my mom's room and got the chance to see the upstairs architecture. There were two grand rooms, one after the next, and a shared bathroom ending the hall. The rooms gave me the feeling that once very important members of the family, and members of the Mobile community slept there. Everything was perfectly in place. As if I wouldn’t be able to find my family members while on this journey back in time. As the rooms were perfectly appointed, so was a dedicated plaque to the housekeeper whom had preserved the home's  interior so many years ago. A plaque, in Agatha's honor, with a photo of the historic woman and her story written underneath hung over a peaceful living room's indoor fireplace near the glass panel front door and entryway.

source: Airbnb

source: Airbnb

  As many homes in this area were, Agatha's Historic Home was built on the land of a former plantation. The rich history was all around in the atmosphere, on Mobile's beautiful Spring Hill Avenue near trendy Lyons Park. Where there were once nothing but lines of 1850's thriving summer homes, Agatha's still stands while tons of buzzing cars pass by. With 3 nights to go, I settled right in with my cups of hot tea, along with the rest of my family who were ready to have a big Thanksgiving dinner and Reunion on Thursday, lead by the theme “Link to Our Past… Bridge to Our Future.”

Exact location to Agatha's is provided after a booking is confirmed.

3 Surprising Ways You Might Be Blocking Your Manifestations

You’re doing the work. You are beginning to understand your worth and raise your standards. Despite these seismic shifts, you find yourself reverting back to past behavior, craving previous relationships, or reconsidering negative circumstances. What gives?

While we may consciously know that our current job, partner, or situation is below our worth - subconsciously we might be afraid to let go of the familiar. This can actualize as self-sabotage and block your manifestations from coming through. Remember that this is simply a part of the process and by committing to your worth, you commit to your manifestations.

And don’t miss Friday's episode of the EXPANDED Podcast with the ever-inspiring Nikki Reed. She’s a great expander for learning how to let things flow.

3 Reasons You’re Resisting Your Manifestations:

1. 1. You don’t want to outshine others. This belief system stems from our Shadow; we associate success with shame and choose to play small. Success can also be isolating. You may experience resistance from those around you as you begin to manifest bigger items. This may appear as jealousy and resentment from your peers. In most cases, this is a projection of their shadow onto you. Every person in your experience is a mirror and a teacher. Use your community to foster your growth rather than clinging to their expectations of you. Look at the 8 people that surround you right now and ask yourself: are they lifting you up or bringing you down?

1. 2. You aren’t ready to say goodbye. While we talk a lot about the joys of manifestation, we don’t always touch on the grief that comes with it.

Read the rest over on tobemagnetic + shop the story. 🔆

Step Into Your Power and Manifest Your Dreams

Consignment & Tag Sale Finds

📷 @thredUP

There's apparently a huge fashion industry waste issue that's really affecting our environment, which I had no idea about until recently and that I'm really glad to have been made aware of. 🌿 

I've been tag sale and consignment shopping since I was in highschool. My mom and her older sister are the Queens of tag sale shopping, and so I pretty much fell right onto the bandwagon at a young age. Having grown up in Los Angeles as a second home, there were always people moving around and selling their stuff. A lot of the time there would be really great quality items, even brand new, or barely used or worn. So naturally, shopping this way was cool with me. 🛍 All of the vintage Tees, random sofas, jewelry and tell-all books that LA had to offer was a wonderland. (Just imagine running into one of these everything-must-go-yesterday sales in Beverly Hills.) 

Not to mention the tons of stores that offered exchange and consignment-like sale. One store in particular on La Brea Ave. that I used to go to on Sundays had these ginormous piles of stuff on tarp on the ground, all for $1 each. And there were people everywhere every Sunday. My point here being, it's been cool to wear used clothes for years. If you're new to the atmosphere, you're not too late. Right now you can buy used, or simply re-post on Instagram to help the environment. 

All of the clothes that I bought as an LA teen are long gone now, but I still consignment shop here and there. I'm going to share a few of the most recent items that I've found because I honestly couldn't believe I happened upon them. A 90s find in perfect condition, a Carrie Bradshaw bag, Steve Madden snake skin. All this happened in the last 6 months. 

Tag Sale Finds

click/tap | @express

I came across this Express sweater at a tag sale at elevationists (couldn't believe I ran into the place) here in Denver just last month. So cool! ♻️ I've only worn it once, and its incredibly unique. I didn't realize it was as unique as it is until I got it home. (Quick grab and go, and my newly adopted dog was still at the anxious stage.) Theres this huge slit on the side that I was skeptical about at first, but worn on it just adds this really cool edge to your look. I absolutely love it. I'm always comfortable in black so it's been an added welcome to my small closet. The black seems to be hard to find, but I found it in gray on Poshmark if interested. ☀️

Consignment Finds

click/tap | Liz Claiborne

This Liz Claiborne underarm bag literally looks like it's been sitting somewhere untouched since the 90s. This picture really doesn't do it justice. I couldn't believe I found it while I was out looking for a purse when I didn't have anything but a Coach wristlet to carry. This was exactly what I needed to find, although I found one other and it's not my go-to bag at the moment. 

click/tap

My go-to bag right now is this silver no name that's just a bit bigger, and that I can take with me anywhere. Silver is a comfort color for me right now so it goes along well with anything that I wear each day. I wanted something that I could just repeat and I found just that, perfectly.

@bananarepublic 

The Banana Republic leggings. I'd been buying my black leggings from Forever 21 since I was a pre-teen and hadn't really recognized an opportunity for change. Until a few years ago when I got a pair from them and a random hole happened. No way! I couldn't believe it. My previous pairs had lasted nearly 10 years, if not 10. Shocked by this new issue I stopped buying the leggings. I found these while randomly consignment digging last month and they're perfect. Hoping for the best here, they've got a shinier finish and my dog's nails haven't been able to scathe them yet while riding in the car. 🐶

@tigers

Always, always finding a good Tee. Whether vintage or not. I wear them out, I wear them to bed, I wear them around the house. I'm a huge Tee person and I don't think that will ever change!

click/tap

I found this Carrie Bradshaw New Years bag a few towns over and I could not leave the store without it. I know it'll come in handy on one of these end of the year nights in my future. It's just so perfect! 💝

click/tap | @stevemadden

Steve Madden snake skin and gold. I. Found. It. The wristlet strap can be removed and I'm hoping to be able to successfully wear it as a clutch. Maybe that'll depend on the angle that I hold it at. It's a wallet and not a clutch, but I see it serving so many purposes on a night or day out. $6. Had to grab this one too! 💫

Finding unique items like these just goes to show that used shopping can be just as fulfilling if not more fulfilling then shopping retail. I'm absolutely in love with these finds of mine, and it all means that much more that I happened upon them and made them my own in the way that I did. Below is an image you can repost for World Environment Day using the hashtag #chooseused that will prompt @thredUP to donate $1 to the Circular Fashion Fund. 

Happy Shopping! 🛍

click/tap and save ☆

New Hobby

📷 The Delta Diva 

There's A New Hobby:

Instagram Surfing 

An article that I read today got me thinking about hobbies. My first thought was, do I have a hobby? Or have I ever? and I think my answer is yes. I surf Instagram. 

These are the first five things that I did when I woke up today and got on Instagram on my phone.

1.

I watched a new IGTV video from The Healthlete on creating your own at home yoga space.

@the_healthlete

Recently subscribed to her newsletter, which is awesome! I plan to take up practicing Kundalini one day, a form that I discovered from goop and I think is the one for me. 👣

2.

I scrolled down my feed and ran across a post from The Cause Bar, which had an article that got me thinking about doing good. 

TheCauseBar.com

A usual for them. I learn so much about giving back here 🌿

3.

I watched a few of the Stories suggested to me just above my feed.

Instagram.com

4.

I found and read a calming article, 8 Storied Restaurants in New Zealand,

 from Storied Hotels' stories.

StoriedHotels.com

One of my favorite sites to read right now. 👓

5.

I watched a really engaging and informative live video from wellbeingessence with Coach Jose Maresma (A great site on nutrition, exercise, wellbeing and CBD) where he talked science-based holistic and natural approaches to pain. (Recently discovered THC/CBD in the form of chews and hot tea. Life changing. 🧖‍♀️)

@wellbeingessence

All of the insight that I have access to on different issues and topics, and the learning that I do while surfing Instagram is literally my hobby. I can use the knowledge that I gain on a daily basis towards endless endeavors and growth. I've never been much into making art or making crafts (as a pre-teen I made bracelets with my artist sister, Stefani, but thats been about it) So here's to finding my own mode of "hobbying". ☀️

Soul Enriching: How Starting A Hobby Can Benefit You In The Long-Run

I mentioned artists above, which I really do enjoy seeing on my Instagram as well! A few of my favorite recent follows are of course my sister's gorgeous line, and bissu_art. Thanks for sharing those gifts. 😚⚱🖌

No Manager

wearing @brightybrights

I love blogging, it's a pastime I've enjoyed since way back when I was in highschool and have enjoyed often, as you can see from all of my posts to the right. ➡️ Instagram, however, has opened different windows to explore different sides of myself, and I'm super thankful for that. I've gotten a lot of wonderful offers to represent different clothing and accessory brands over there, which I'm really excited about starting with, getting to expand my wardrobe and sharing that with all of you. 🌼 But sometimes I can't help but stop and think about how I don't have a manager helping me with any of this.

There are ten or more different brands that I've made a mutual connection with, that I'm in talks with, and that I absolutely love and can't wait to share more of both here and over on my Instagram. But then I stop and think, Am I really doing this all by myself? and How? 

I wish I knew the answer to that question. I guess we'll just see what happens next, and then next after that. I start class for my degree next week, and being all set and ready to go there is pretty comforting. Going for a Technology degree is I guess the best thing that I can do to bide my time and make sure that I'm being productive, all while also thinking of my future. Below I'll link the brands that I'm currently with, and those that I can't wait to introduce + share the pretty rad pieces that I chose from each. Yay! 🤘

 @brightybrights 💍

 @leo.mazzotti 🖤💲

 @manuelacoshop 👖

@arualstoreonline 🇬🇧

 @femeempire 🕶👑

 @hyalyafashion 💎

@batigelboutique 🇦🇺

 @chicnyc 👕💄

 @ghc_lusso 👜

 @greeksglasses 🕶

 @fresh.frenzy 💚💛

 @lostdiamondstore 💎

Skincare & Clothes

Skincare

📷 LK Skincare

My skincare journey has been quite a long one. Since my teens I've been using many different products. As an adult, it's been more of where I need to and I'm ready to find the one. LK Skincare sent me over a sample of their pretty Day Cream last Friday and I'm so happy with the results! It has 12 different ingredients that are all so healthy and helpful for my skin. It's 100% natural, vegan friendly, and cruelty free as well, and after years of searching for the right product, even switching to body oil on my face instead of a cream or lotion for a while, I can confidently say I've found the one! 🧖‍♀️ Great feeling. Knowing that there is a line out there somewhere made just for you. I highly recommend giving it a try if you haven't heard of their cream already.

My results were that after the first night of using the cream, my face felt a lot more luxurious. The texture is thick but not too much so. It's that perfect sort of thick texture that absorbs right in, with that calming "no scent" scent to make it even better. The morning after I washed my face with water and a face towel, and then immediately went to apply more to start my day. I apply the cream to my face, neck, over my eyes and even on my lips for added moisture. I visibly noticed a glowing difference in my skin that it made when I applied it before putting on concealer, which was one of the ways I was really looking forward to using it. So five stars there, it goes great with makeup as well.

I'm on day 4 of using LK and I can say that I would recommend it to anyone that I can because it's changed my life that much. Looking forward to getting my larger 50 ml size of the Day Cream as soon as I finish my sample! Read about LK Day Cream's 12 special ingredients here. And make sure to follow them over on their Instagram and grab yourself a free sample. 🔆

I've got the moisturiser that's coming with me on vacay this summer. 😉 🌴


9 Best Natural & Organic Face Moisturizers For Every Skin Type



Clothes

📷 #thejanelife

Clothes are what you make them, that's something that I've learned only in the last 4 or 5 years that is so true. Different clothing and the endless amount of brand options that are out there affect people, especially women, differently, and quite frankly any way that we choose. I had this is mind when I found (or you could say, they found me 🙂) the most beautiful line of curated and non curated options that is Manuela Co, and decided to represent their brand. I absolutely adore the 5 options that I ordered, which I can't wait to share with you here! Just a few that I've had the chance to test run, though.

The Rosana Top 

This color green though! 😍 I haven't seen a green top this beautiful in all of my twenty something years. & those sleeves. 😍 I really hit the jackpot finding a pretty gem like this. I've got it hanging in my closet just waiting for my next opportunity to put it on! Full look at the Rosana Top here.

The Bianca Legging

These leggings are so expressive and gorgeous. I'm a huge fan of anything sparkly, so these just stood right out to me on the site. I ordered them in black and white! I was so comfy while walking Teuila on Sunday at the park, and they kept me cool all the way into the evening. Highly recommend grabbing a pair for those cool evening walks and breezy morning workouts. 🔆

You can get 30% off your whole purchase of incredibly unique pieces from Manuela (+ free shipping!) when you use the code Debbie,fs30 at checkout. 🔆 You can follow them on their Instagram here. Happy shopping, beautiful babes! 😚

Before Manuela, almost all of my clothes (and VS bras even) were hand-me-downs from my sister Erin. Either from my older sister, or maybe a consignment/vintage Tee here and there. And that was my wardrobe. I'm so excited to be a part of a brand that's comfortable, available online and so easy for me to wear. My closet is so alive with these pretty new pieces and I so look forward to sharing them all with you. Happy Spring! 🌷

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon
Twenty stitches in a hospital room
When you started crying baby, I did too

But when the sun came up I was looking at you

Remember when we couldn't take the heat

I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up you were looking at me

Leo Mazzotti

I'm absolutely in love with this beautiful jewelry 

& watches brand that I joined the family of! 

Leo Mazzotti 🌹

Beauty can be found in simplicity.

Their pieces really finish anything I wear while I'm out and about perfectly. Highly recommend heading over to their site (linked above)! Use the code bestdebbieever for 10% off your total purchase + free shipping. 🛍 I haven't worn a watch in years. Not since my dad bought them for me as a pre-teen/teen, which I've now lost track of (Why don't you ever realize how important the gifts are? 🤷‍♂️) and I think I've found my perfect brand. I can't wait to grab my first watch as an adult. 🙌

#LeoMazzotti #LeoMazzottiFamily 

I'm wearing the Simplicity Bangle 

and the Dolce Vita Classic Black bracelet above 💫

You can follow Leo Mazzotti over on Instagram at @leo.mazzotti 📧

My gold flecked leggings are manuelaco. More on that. 👖 Clothes blog coming...

Scrapbooking

tap/click

"SURGERY!!"

"November 16, 2006."

"happy bday NeRo!"

"November 13, 2006. Back at the hospital. lol well this time.. i didn't get in a fight. But this is probably the biggest thing that has happend to me so far in life. I had to get surgery on my breasts. Now i know the first thing you're thinking is OMG! she has cancer! but no. i don't have cancer. about a few months back i noticed a really large bump in my right breast. and yeah, i was worried. so my mom took me to be [the] best breast center in Los Angeles. Cedars Sinai. The doctor lady (who's name was Kristi Pado) found the bump, and 3 more, and thankfully informed me that they werenot cancerous lumps. They were benine [benign]. so i was very happy to hear that. But the bad news was they still weren't good to have in my chest because they were only going to get larger. So she scheduled a day for me to have them taken out. this was my first surgery and it was very scary. but i made it through! today's date is November 16, 2006. and im still in the healing process. I haven't been to school all week. But this pain medication they prescribed to me is soooooo strong!! I have seriously never been this dizzy in my life. when i take one of these pills i can't even walk! but i guess this is better than being in pain. because my chest is really sore. and i have [laser] stitches all over the place. =( but im feeling better. I went in for surgery Monday the 13th at around 10:30 a.m. and got home around 1:30 p.m. They gave me that IV stuff in my arm and that gas that puts me to sleep [IV and gas. 🙌]. wow that stuff knocked me out in seconds. well anyways it was a crazy experience but i made it through! Happy Birthday to my brother Nero! =D 

                                   He's 18! today!"

7 Screen-Free Hobbies To Ignite Your Creativity from @thegoodtrade 

My cousin Alicia Marie is now in remission. 🙂

🎀

NYC Three Times

#1

I had seen Central Park in so many movies and on so many tv shows growing up that I figured it would feel familiar by the time I actually got to nyc to see it. And I was right! It took all the way until my late 20s but I eventually got to beautiful Manhattan to see all of its glory in 2016. Things I recognized first were the miniature lake where people sail their miniature sailboats (Stuart Little, of course.), the Alice in Wonderland piece from Remember Me (above), and of course Central Park as a whole (There it is! That's Central Park!) 

All the brownstones caught my attention as I of course looked around for Carrie Bradshaw, or SJP. I may have gotten a liiittle claustrophobic because I wasn't used to not being able to see the sky. But, that's a concrete jungle for you. I stayed close to my travel buddy and eventually settled in to that feeling and pushed forward. It was very busy on the streets but my walk through the park is one I surely haven't forgotten. So busy that it was just a quick excursion before getting back on the highway up to Connecticut. I saw Trump Plaza defaced, talked brownstone real estate, and ate a $13 hot dog. I think I did Central Park. 

#2

tap/click

Here's where I just take off and do my thing like I think only my kinda girl can. I wanted to see the new Lost City of Z movie and I wanted it now. So I bought tickets for NYFF54 and made it a day! 🔆 I was glad to see the movie early and there was some nice breezy walking through town. Back and forth to another screening became a little frazzled and I wished I hadn't worn the boots with heels, my tickets may have gotten left in the bathroom at the thought of seeing Robert Pattinson, but nyc was way cool for the whole outing. 

#3

Oh Broadway you got me. 1 train, 1 cab, my debit card and a Leonardo DiCaprio-esque baseball cap over my eyes. Manhattan. 💗 Getting around as quickly and easily as I did was a dream. Jimmy Fallon on the little tv in the cab made me less anxious about time. When I got to the Hudson to see 1984 starring Tom Sturridge and Olivia Wilde, I was 3 minutes late. I rushed in, light on my feet and was told my seat was just after where there were three empty seats from the aisle and where there was to be no one seated to my immediate right. With no distractions, my hat a little low and no one able to lean over and talk to me, I saw my first Broadway show. It was everything I thought it would be (with no vomiting reviews.) I was so happy to get to see the two leads in person for a performance that was just awe inspiring. 

On the way back out onto the street I finally glanced upward and noticed that I was right next to Times Square. Girls on the street were talking about Tom Sturridge. I wondered if I could zip over to the square before jumping in a cab. Two destinations failed (An icecream stand and Starbucks with a long line) I lost the nerve and hailed a cab. There were ny cops everywhere watching me and ignoring me at the same time. Might have just been my idea of utter bliss. I ended up settling for a pretzel in Grand Central before starting back on the 1.5 hour ride to Philadelphia. Oh okay, man hat tan. 🙂

Thanks @vogue for the wonderful articles in your June issue on 1984 and the show's producer, Sonia Friedman, that inspired me to go see it! 🔆

Bonus: I drove straight to Brooklyn a fourth time

 for Body By Brooklyn. Highly recommend! 🧖‍♀️