April Happenings: Recap of What I Did (in CLE) This Month
April has been a crazy month of up and down weather. Some days felt like summer, while others felt like winter, with really no in between! As always, I had the opportunity to do some great and fun things this month in the Greater Cleveland area and Northeast Ohio! If you follow me on Instagram and saw my Instastories, you probably saw many of the things I did!
EASTER
My family and I ended up having a pretty quiet Easter. Terry and I celebrated on Easter Sunday with dinner and relaxing. I loved being able to wear this oversized, super cozy and warm pastel yellow sweater from New York & Company. You can find a similar sweater here .
Raspberry Sherbet Topped with Imported Wafers, Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips, and Whipped Cream
On Easter Monday, I went over to my parents for Easter dinner. I influenced my parents, who are subscribing to Hello Fresh now, and my mom likes to re-create her favorite recipes and put her own spin on them. She made one of my favorite Hello Fresh dinners, which is the Creamy Dill Chicken dinner. I actually ended up making this the other night, but alas--I still am not always in blogger mode and forgot to take photos! If you would like to check it out and possibly make it yourself, you can find the recipe here. I'm sure I will be making it again and will post photos! I'm always on the lookout for "summer" recipes, or recipes that utilize my garden! This is perfect for fresh dill and green beans.
What I did get photos of was this delicious and light dessert pictured above. Although I'm not sure any dessert is healthy, this is definitely a better option for those of you watching what you eat but still have a sweet tooth! We used the following ingredients:
We used Pierre's Raspberry Sherbet, which is a local Cleveland ice cream company! This tasted awesome. I cannot find a shopping link, as I believe it is sold only in grocery stores. I've grown up seeing Pierre's everywhere, so I'm unsure if it is outside of Cleveland, but if it is, I recommend it! If not, any raspberry sherbet would do.
My mom purchased Kobe Fugetsudo Petites Gaufres wafer cookies, an imported wafer cookie from Japan. It is light and delicious and is great, even minus the ice cream! To complete this dish, put the round wafer cookies in the sherbet and top it with your favorite whipped cream and Ghirardelli chocolate Chips!
This dessert was perfect for Easter but is also great for a summer dessert on the patio!
BEAUTY SERVICES
It's no secret that I always get my nails done and share my favorite colors and fun designs! It was time for a new full set this month, and I went to Unique Nails on Sprague Road in North Royalton. I have been going here for my nails since I was in high school--I even got my prom nails done here! If you know me, I'm pretty faithful to my local companies and services if they continue to provide high quality services and products. I always love my nails after I leave, and they have the latest, greatest nail products and are not afraid to do hand painted designs. If you are in the South Side of Cleveland, be sure to check them out!
I've also been going to Avalon Salon for my cut and color, and Holly Berry (yes, that is her real name) is my go to girl. She does an awesome job with color and is fun and funky herself (she is a rocker girl!). My color is a blend of a variety of blonde color, and I absolutely know they use Wella hair color products (the best of the best). I also trust her with my long hair, as she knows what I like, doesn't go too crazy, and is sure to cut the layers just right.
Avalon Salon is located on the corner of Pleasant Valley Road and Ridge Road in Parma, which is another great salon option for you South/West siders!
GARDENING
Pansies
Violas
As I mentioned above, it's been an inconsistent spring with some warm days and super chilly days. I can tell it's spring with the way the sun sits in the sky and the smell of the air, but it never fails that I always get super anxious this time of year to start getting outside. Ever since I bought my house, I've fallen in love with working outside, flowers, and planting my garden. I couldn't wait to get some flowers and color outside, so I went up to Maria Gardens Center in North Royalton on the corner W. 130th and Albion. This place is always my go-to for outdoor plants and flowers. I decided to pick up some pretty pansies and violas that are hardy enough for warm days and chilly nights. These are frost and freeze tolerant. I don't trust them that much, so when I know it is getting chilly at night, these pots are super easy to put in the garage for the evening for protection.
Another south/west side option for you guys is Maria's. Love this place!
BONEFISH GRILL
Bang Bang Shrimp
So Bonefish is not a Cleveland specific restaurant and is a chain, but it is one of my favorite chains! When we went one Friday evening, I actually thought everything I ate was wonderful. And who doesn't love Bang Bang Shrimp?! I'm actually craving it right now!
Head up to your local Bonefish Grill on Wednesday evenings for $6 Bang Bang Shrimp from 4 to close. Happy Hour is also offered on the weekends!
BOMBA TACOS AND RUM
Rio Style Chicken Taco, Crispy Shrimp Taco, and the Classic Beef Taco
Brazilian Red Sangria
For those of you not from Ohio or from the Cleveland area, most Clevelanders would probably agree that when we talk about Cleveland, we are not just referring to the city limits. Cleveland is mostly Greater Cleveland or Northeast Ohio and almost consists of like five counties! Northeast Ohio is spread out, and many people live downtown, in smaller, trendy Cleveland neighborhoods, or in the outlying suburbs (which would be me). Cleveland is known for its restaurants and food scene, and that also includes us having access to delicious, trendy, and even high-end restaurants in the suburbs. For me, I love going downtown, but I also love having a great night out at a local place not that far from home where I don't have to worry about parking or dealing with post-Cavs game or Indians game crowds.
One local, suburban place my family went to was Bomba Tacos and Rum. The location we went to is actually in Fairlawn (almost Akron, Ohio) off of Route 18 by Interstate 77. This is literally just a few miles from Lebron James' home! Bomba also has locations on the West Side in Rocky River and one opening up on the East Side in Beachwood this summer.
As you know, I love my wine and decided to go with a pretty Sangria drink over rum or tequila. It was delicious! This was the Brazilian Red Sangria that was sweet with lots of Blackberry flavors. I also ordered three tacos. I'm a basic girl and got a classic beef taco along with the Rio Style Chicken Taco and the Crispy Shrimp tacos. I love tacos, and it was delicious!!
TARGET AND WAL-MART FINDS
Opalhouse Door Mat
After seeing all the photos on Instagram, I knew I had to check out Target's new Opalhouse home decor collection, as well as their new featured wine brand, California Roots!
Be sure to check out the Shop my Insta page here, so you can shop what I found!
I had a ton of fun shopping at Walmart for the first time in AGES! These fun jewelry pieces are so cheap, trendy, and cute for the spring and summer season. Be sure to check out their jewelry next time you are there!
TRYING OUT NEW PRODUCTS
Norwex Make-Up Remover Cloths
6th Borough Boutique Layering Necklaces
Graze Snacks
One of the best things about being a blogger or being on Instagram is getting to try out new products, often complimentary. I was able to try out some Norwex Make-Up Remover Cloths, 6th Borough Boutique layering necklaces, and a Graze snack pack. If you want to read more on these, check out my links below.
6th Borough Boutique: https://www.clevelandfashionista.com/style/2018/4/28/layering-necklaces
Graze: https://www.clevelandfashionista.com/food-and-drink/2018/4/8/graze-healthy-snack-options-for-you
So that's a wrap for April! What a fun month! Be on the lookout for my May adventures on the blog and Instagram! Can't wait to share them all with you!