Showing posts with label rhody bloggers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rhody bloggers. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Citron Spa heaven

A few weeks ago, some of my girlfriends from the Rhody Bloggers and I got to check out Citron Spa. Located on Angell Street in Providence, it is Wayland Square's newest oasis.

**Disclosure: I was provided with a manicure and pedicure in exchange for social media promotion and a blog post about my visit.**

A Wellness Sanctuary like no other, we offer a modern boutique feel with a nature inspired decor.  Inspiring yet relaxing, our philosophy of rustic nature meets modern science offers a soothing, result oriented experience for our guests. Our services range from the latest technology in laser hair removal to massage, facials, waxing, and nail treatments that incorporate the use of all natural ingredients.

I can't tell you how excited we all were to walk in and be directed to the lounge area. I already loved the sound of that. It wasn't a typical noisy spot where you wait for whatever service you will be getting. A separate room with relaxing chairs on one side, comfy seats in the window on the other where the sunlight was streaming in. I chose the comfy window seat with Carla.


Offered our choice of beverage, I leaned toward the mimosa (because how can you say no to a mimosa) but ended up going with the soothing tea. It was freezing out that morning!


We were all chatting and feeling relaxed, when some girls came in and put soft, heated neck pillows on us. Amazing. As busy moms who never really take the time to do anything for ourselves, I think we could have stayed in the lounge all day. Without treatments even!

Shortly after that, it was time for our pedicures and manicures. Heather, Carla and I went to the Foot Bar first. Heather was getting the Stress Fix, Carla a seasonal one with actual apples and cinnamon and oatmeal she could eat if she wanted to (she didn't), and I was there for the Caribbean Therapy.


What did I tell you. See the apples in the water with Carla? I was loving the all natural products they used.


Let me tell you about my Caribbean Therapy pedicure. Exfoliating with salt and Caribbean cane sugar; softening and conditioning skin with coconut, avocado and passion fruit oils; uplifting with island aromas, including a warm detoxifying seaweed masque on the legs and feet. Complete with a foot and leg massage, hot moist towels, and mango and cocoa butter body creme infused with lime, bay, vetiver and amyris oils. 


That's the warm detoxifying seaweed mask right there, which was wrapped in towels after that. Might not look so pretty but trust me when I say it felt so good. And the massage part was my favorite. I chose a sparkly purple polish for my toes and then we were over to the Nail Bar.

The Caribbean Therapy Manicure starts with a moisturizing milky Caribbean hand bath, precise nail grooming and renewing exfoliation followed by warm detoxifying seaweed masque and warm moist towels while you receive a neck and shoulder massage. A hand and arm massage then softens and smoothes the skin with a mango and cocoa butter body creme infused with lime, bay, vetiver and amyris oils. 

Now I don't have nails. Unless I am getting them put on, there isn't much there. They are always breaking just as they start to look nice. I was a little worried about how I was going to get a manicure without nails, but it was not a problem at all. I went with a very pale pink and I am telling you weeks later that I think getting a professional manicure helped my nails a little. Not only do they look better than they have in I don't know how long, but they are even growing a little longer.

The neck and shoulder massage during the manicure alone will keep me coming back to Citron. Amazing. And so relaxing. I could have fallen asleep. You must try the Caribbean Therapy.


My nails after the mani/pedi, back in the lounge as I finished letting them dry.

Citron spa isn't just for nails. They offer a variety of other services - facials, waxing and threading, makeup, body masques and wraps, laser treatments and massages. I am in love, and will definitely be back.


Now for my favorite part. Citron is letting me give away a manicure and pedicure! This giveaway is open to Facebook fans of Citron Spa. To enter, leave a comment on this post letting me know what you do to relax and pamper yourself. For an additional entry, tweet this giveaway. Come back and leave the link in an additional comment so I can verify it. Winner will be selected by Random.org on Friday, November 15th at noon and notified by email.

In addition to their website, you can also follow up with Citron Spa on Facebook and Twitter.


Sunday, April 7, 2013

$10,000 strong

This weekend was so incredible I am having a hard time putting it all into words right now.


As one of the Rhody Bloggers for Good, we put on a Sit-a-thon with La-Z-Boy for one of our own - Melissa's daughter Belle. When she was diagnosed with leukemia a few days after Christmas, I think it took all of our breath away. Being able to work together to put this fundraiser on has been such a wonderful experience.


To my friends who donated items simply because I asked who could help - Rebecca and Scott for the Benny's gift card, Laura and Kevin for the Advanced Auto Parts gift card, Becky for the Haute Tag gift certificate, Carina for the Stella and Dot necklace and the Beachbody package, Marsha for the Rodan and Fields skin care package, Kristin for the Organizing in RI consultation.


To all my friends who made it into the store with their children this weekend - Laura, Alyson, Shannon, Suzanne, Sarah and Jeremy. Thank you to all of my friends that donated online through the You Caring page when they were not able to make it in.

And to my amazing family - my husband Alfredo, the Big Guy, the Bunny Bee and the Doodle Bop. Not only did they spend some time with me each day at the Sit-a-thon but the boys were incredibly well behaved and I am just beyond proud of them. It has been a long and crazy weekend and I am left feeling incredibly blessed to have such wonderful family supporting a cause that was so important to me.




Huge thank you to Melissa and Jen for pulling all of us together for this and doing most of the behind the scenes work to get things going, along with Jake from La-Z-Boy who made us feel so at home and like part of his family at the store. La-Z-Boy will get all my future business for taking the time to help us the way they have. They truly went above and beyond.

With 20 minutes to go at the Sit-a-thon today we were $800 shy of our $10,000 goal ... we put out the call and I think we all teared up to find that in that short amount of time, we hit $10,000.


Speechless over the generosity people have showed. 


Though the Sit-a-thon has now ended, we will keep the YouCaring page open a little longer in the hopes of making it to our extended goal of $15,000 for Belle. You can go here to donate.





Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Nordstrom Rack - Opening at the Warwick Mall

So, tonight a bunch of Rhody Bloggers braved the season's first snow...

 
(one week after the hurricane) to attend an exclusive pre-opening party inside the Warwick Mall's new Nordstrom Rack store. And it was so worth it!


Yes, that is a martini with cranberries in it... while I walked around the beauty section. While there were several Rhody Blogger girls going to be attending the event, it was pretty busy and I was lucky to be able to catch up with a few of them. Here is Kristin from Mama Luvs Books, Joanna from Baby Gators Den, Heather from Housewife Heather and I. And please lets not talk about how badly I have to dye my hair. Damn those bright lights (and who wants to come dye my hair).

 
The deals were amazing. In addition to a huge women's department, they also had a sizeable men's and children's section. And the store is HUGE. For additional information on all the girl things, check out the post on Buy-Her where I included so much more.
 
I literally had to stop myself from buying things as I im'd my husband about all the deals I was scoring. I'm sure he was not half as thrilled as I was, lets be honest. However, see these Hunter rain boots with the bag? $39From $135.
 
 
And see these cute rain boots all the boys are sporting from Western Chief Kids? $16.90 for the Big Guy's fire boots, and $18.97 each for the Bunny Bee's monster boots and the Doodle Bop's dragon boots... each normally selling for $29.95.
 
 
So for those doing the math, I spent a grand total of $94 ... for FOUR pairs of boots. You know, for less than the original price of one pair of Hunter rain boots. Warwick Rack (Nordstrom Rack at the Warwick Mall) opens at 9am tomorrow morning. You will not believe the deals you will find. I'm an instant fan. 
 
In addition to their website, you can also follow up with Nordstrom Rack on Facebook and Twitter.  To specifically follow the Warwick Rack store on twitter, click here.
 
 
 
*Disclosure: At the event, we were provided with refreshments and a goody bag. Opinions are all my own. (I bought all of the boots!)

Friday, August 10, 2012

BlogHer12 NYC recap

BlogHer12.  New York City.

...where do I even start.

Here's how it ended.  With a photo of swag and luggage for three girls.


That is an entire luggage cart that the bell hop not only filled up but hung things off of, and it still didn't all fit - after just 3 days in the city.  Another photo that doesn't really do it justice I suppose.

But I guess I should start at the beginning.  The boys dropped me off in Charlestown to meet Jen and as one of my guys was fighting to keep it together, one of her girls was completely falling apart.  Which made it so hard on the heart to leave.  Once we were in the car and on the road though?  Time flew right by.  Jen and I talked the entire way and we actually made it to NYC in under 3 hours - with a minor detour no less.  The Hilton held our bags and told us they would text us when our room was available (totally awesome service by the way) and we were off to explore Times Square and get souvenir t's for our kids before things got too busy.  We had just finished shopping when we got the text that our room was ready - early - so we headed back.

Next up was Drybar with the girls.  So fun!  They hand you champagne and you get your hair styled.  Um, I want to open one of these HERE!


Truth be told, I couldn't even tell you what we did when for the most part after that.  Its all part of a really fun, totally exhausting blur - with highs and lows and highs again.  We hit some really fun parties (SweetSuite by the Big Toy book was so cool!  I'm even able to put away some toys for the boys for Christmas and stocking stuffers on that swag alone.) ... I got to visit hotel security with Sarah and Avery for a good hour one night, saw President Obama address us live, sort of met Martha Stewart - a blog post to come I promise - met Kate Gosselin - met Ree Drummond... just 3 days of total awesomeness. 

My only complaints?  5,000 people is just too large for the Hilton and it was too hard to get into the sessions I wanted to.  The ones I will now be watching online, since they had to turn people away.  I did meet some really nice PR people and I feel like I made some great connections.  Food though?  It's bad when you eat less in 3 days than you usually do in 1 at home.  Food and water was scarce... but the alcohol was free flowing. 

Absolute favorite part?  Leaving Sparklecorn early (not exactly our scene) only to head over to a Hookah bar we had been by earlier and doing it up with Jen and Joanna.  Meeting the doorman who loved 'Chicken Wrights!' in Rhode Island (known as Wrights Chicken Farm to the rest of us).  Then closing down the corner supermarket at 5 minutes to 1 (AM) so we could get corn nuts, kale chips, almonds, guacamole and bagel chips.  Lets just say that next morning was rough. We didn't let it stop us from hitting Getting Gorgeous though!

I still loved just about every minute.  Being in Chicago, I don't know that I will go next year... but BlogHer will still be on my to do list again.  Loved hanging with all my Rhody Blogger girls!!! It was awesome to share this with all of you!


                                                                   Filling Our Bucket
                                                                   My Wrinkle in Time
                                                                   Keekoin
                                                                   Baby Gators Den
                                                                   A Baby Makes Four 
                                                                   Soxy's Diamond 
                                                                   Sweet lil' you 
                                                                   The New Modern Momma
                                                                   30 Something Mother Runner
                                                                   Mom Generations
                                                                   Blush Mamas
                                                                   The Mommyhood Chronicles
                                                                   Documama
                                                                   Twins with tots

               








Friday, June 8, 2012

Give and Glam fabulousness

Last night was Give and Glam, a girls night out event to benefit Hasbro Children's hospital.  I was on board from the minute my friends at Rhody Mamas announced it.  Lianne and I bought our tickets right away. 

And we had the best time!  It didn't matter that it rained on our walk in from the parking lot, that it took forever to order drinks, or that I very nearly cried after standing two hours in my glittery heels from hell.  It was all still amazing. 

Lianne and I dorked out on the red carpet.  Instead of striking a fashionable pose we hugged each other around the neck. 

We took crazy photos.  Like this one.  Li pulled over a random older guy in a tux before the night ended because we had to have a photo of us in these uber cool swing chairs.  When he couldn't do it from her phone his wife came in to 'help' and like 10 minutes of smiling and wait and hold ons later, we had this.

                                                                       So yeah.

We chatted with so many awesome girls.  There was hair chalking (which I have been dying to try) and tattoos and I somehow managed to miss it all going on because I was too busy chatting.  And this is where I get mushy.  My life has changed so much over the last two years and it is all because I started this little blog right here.  I have amazing amazing women in my life now that I am honored to call my friends.  And it all started right here.

Li you are stuck with me forever and ever and I thank you for coming to all these events with me. And you know, standing at the bar for us while I hobbled outside to the deck with my fabulous glittery heels from hell... for bringing the drinks and sitting down on wet chairs and not caring and chatting away.

And to my Digital Media and Rhody Blogger friends, each and every one of you rocks.  I love you all.
Digital Media girls on the carpet!
With Rhody Mama's Audrey and Jen
                                        Becky - seriously, you NEED one of her Haute Tags!

                                    Grace is so sweet!  Have you checked out her Patemm Pads?

                                                           With Li and Becky
                                                       
                                                                          Kisses!
            Yes I made Li do this while we waited in a massive line at the bar to pass some time/

Seriously can not wait till the next Give and Glam event.  They even have a short video up already.  (I made a few cameos, see who else you spot.)