Sampling the Prime Rib's Dessert Menu: A Photo Diary

Last week, the fine folks at Live! Casino & Hotel invited me to come get my nom on at their Casino, and I ended up having a ginormous dinner at Luk Fu and an equally ginormous dessert course at Prime Rib.  Luckily, my mom was in town to help me out...not that it made much of a difference, we barely made a dent in the food!  

Regardless, I'm glad I got to try so many different dishes - I'm all about trying new things, and desserts are my kryptonite so this was my idea of a bangin' time.  I'll be recapping my dessert experience at Prime Rib for my latest, but Luk Fu dinner feature will go live next week sometime so definitely check back.

Their spiked milkshakes were decadent, delicious...and limited edition, ha.  The 3 flavors were Birthday cake w/ 3 Olives cake vodka, ultimate s'mores w/ Kahlua liqueur, and salted caramel apple piece with Rumchata.  Sorry guys - I hope they bring 'em back sometime soon though? Let's keep our fingers crossed!  

Next up, their Strawberry Lemon White Chocolate Mousse - a light, refreshing dessert that's ideal for summer. You'll be able to devour this even after the heaviest of meals since it's so airy!  I'm still blown away by the presentation.

Onto the Coconut Vanilla Panna Cotta w/ Tropical Fruit Gelee - this was yet another one of my favorites!  If you're a fan of fruity desserts, this is an absolute must-try.

Anddd the Bailey Lover's Dessert: coffee flavored cake topped with candied bacon and served with Baileys infused ice cream (!!!!)

The classic crème brûlée...

...and another classic: their NY Style Cheesecake, which is to-die for yummy BTW.

And last but not least, their Citrus Chiffon Cake with brandy peaches.  

I was beyond impressed with the presentation of everything, and although it all tasted good, I highly recommend the NY Style Cheesecake, the s'mores milkshake, the Bailey Lover's Dessert, and the Coconut Vanilla Panna Cotta. If you want something rich, go with any of the first three dishes listed above.  If you want something a bit lighter, order the Panna Cotta!  Alright guys, that's it for today. As always, let me know if you guys have any questions.  I hope you all have a fabulous Thursday!

Where to Buy Kate Spade Lookalike Bags for Less

Alright everyone, how many of you like Kate Spade bags? Now, how many of you guys can afford to drop $$$ on her designs on the regular? While I'm sure many of you can - and all the power to you if so - there's a store out there that sells stuff with a similar vibe for a fraction of the price, and that magical store is called *drum roll, please* Charming Charlie.

They're pretty big so I'm guessing a lot of you already know about them, but I wanted to blog about CC because I discovered them not too long ago.  I shopped their store for the first time a few months back at the National Harbor, and I was totally blown away by their selection.  It was like accessory heaven!  

The quality of their clothing's comparable to Forever 21 or H&M, they have a lot of trendy items in stock so you should definitely get your browse on if that's your thing.  I personally prefer their jewelry & bags, but not everything's super high quality so definitely take your time when shopping! 

The last time I was there, I purchased two evening bags: a fabulous faux-velvet handbag (aka the piece I'm carrying below) and an adorable starfish clutch.  Both pieces were under $20, and they looked exactly like something Kate Spade would sell:  whimsical, flirty, and fun!  

The designs I bought are no longer available on their website, but I've linked other adorable options for you guys! I haven't seen anything over $50, and most of their stuff's under $20 so it's definitely affordable.  

Dress: Asos (currently on sale for $47) || Bag:  Charming Charlie (similar-ish) || Shoes:  Jessica Simpson (similar)

Photos shot by the amazing Sung Shin.

Magical Denim that Won't Break the Bank

Sensible Stylista's all about shopping smart, and that means knowing when to save versus when to splurge.  A lot of people mistakenly assume that there's a direct correlation between price tag and quality, but I'm here to tell you guys that that's not always the case.  When it comes to denim, I opt for the more affordable options because they fit and feel better than the designer styles I own (...and trust me, I own quite a few).

My fave store for jeans is Aeropostale.  I know they have a not-so-great rep, but I swear by their denim.  I've purchased at least 6 pairs of pants from them, and they all fit beautifully.  My mom was actually the who got me hooked! They were having a huge blowout sale so she went in and got her browse on.  Their jeans were $15 at the time so she ended up purchasing a bunch: 3 pairs for herself and 2 pairs for me.  I was hella skeptical when she presented her haul, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt because she has fantastic taste in clothes.  Lo and behold, 5 years later they're still wardrobe staples.  No joke.  Definitely give them an unbiased shot!  You'll pay less than $20 for killer jeans that'll last you year after year.  You're welcome in advance.

Stitch Fix is yet another favorite, but since I'm super picky with pants, I didn't even bother ordering them in my fixes.  I just assumed they'd be fails, BUT when I visited SF for their 3-day influencer event, I tried on their jeans, and it's been a done deal ever since.  I now ask for denim every time I place an order!  Their pieces tend to be a bit more expensive than Aero, but that's what your style survey's for - just remember to set a budget for your stylist so he or she knows what you're comfortable with financially.

If you're still set on purchasing designer denim - which is totally fine BTW - be smart and don't pay full-price! Stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Last Call carry lines like Joe's, 7 for all Mankind, and the like for less.  Also, since denim's timeless, take advantage of blowout sales (ie. after-Christmas, back-to-school) and stock up. Anywho, that's it for today guys! I hope you found this helpful, and let me know what you think of their denim if you give either of 'em a try.

Photography by Sung Shin & Jared Wolfe.