Creamy Chicken and Bacon Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe - Perfect for Barbecues and Potlucks!
Creamy Chicken and Bacon Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe - Perfect for Barbecues and Potlucks!

This pasta salad may be easy to make, but it really delivers when it comes to flavor! You’ve got the tangy and creamy ranch sauce, smokiness from the bacon and a dash of fresh zest from the veggies. The protein from the chicken really makes this a hearty side dish, and it can even be a quick leftover main dish lunch!

Whenever I have a BBQ gathering coming up, or I need to make a potluck dish for work, this is one of my go-to recipes. If you have a busy schedule, you can make it ahead of time and leave it the refrigerator overnight. It can be served warmed up or at room temperature, either way its delicious!

Once you’ve got all the ingredients purchased, prep work for this recipe just requires chopping up the veggies, cubing the chicken and mixing up the sauces. Next it’s time to cook the pasta and bacon, chop the bacon, and then mix it all up. If you’re working diligently, you can make this recipe in under 30 minutes, and it yields a large amount of pasta salad to feed a crowd.

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LifestyleGennifer RoseRecipesComment
Modern Style Guide to Stacking Bracelets
Modern Style Guide to Stacking Bracelets

The art of stacking bracelets doesn’t always come naturally to everyone. The key is to find the perfect balance between bold statement style and simplicity. Your gem colors and metal tones must complement each other and create a harmonious color story. You want a variety of textures and sizes to add eye catching interest, stacking bracelets should never be boring!

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Fashion & StyleGennifer RoseComment
How to Dress During Pregnancy Without Maternity Clothes
How to Dress During Pregnancy Without Maternity Clothes

You may have already discovered that shopping for maternity clothes can be a real drag. It’s difficult to find cute attire that you actually want to wear, especially during the time of pregnancy when you’re already feeling big and bloated.

The good news is that there’s actually plenty of non-maternity clothes that will get you through the 9 months of pregnancy. You will also find that these new wardrobe staples will come very much handy during your postpartum months while your body is adjusting back to normal.

In this blog post I’m giving suggestions on cuts and styles of dresses, pants, tops, leggings, tunics and more that aren’t necessarily maternity clothes but you can wear for each trimester. After my two pregnancies I’ve learned a thing or two about hacking my closet to fit my growing baby bumps.

Because maternity clothes are so drab, my recommendation is to find wardrobe gems that celebrate pregnancy and mark the special occasion. Not to mention the fact that pretty dresses make motherhood more fun. You want to find clothes that make you feel good and ultimately extend your regular wardrobe. Depending on your style you may even want to flaunt your belly. Do you girl!

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Fashion & StyleGennifer RoseModern MamaComment
Yankee Jims Swimming Hole: 10 Things to Know Before You Visit This Northern California Hidden Gem
Yankee Jims Swimming Hole: 10 Things to Know Before You Visit This Northern California Hidden Gem

The scene at Yankee Jims is totally picturesque with turquoise clear waters surrounded by rocky mountains and a vintage style suspension bridge hanging way above. The water is a little chilly when you first get in but on a hot summer day it feels amazing. Between June - August the summer temperatures easily reach the 90’s to the 100’s.

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TravelGennifer RoseNorthern California, Sacramento Comments
25 Baby Bump Friendly Boho Dresses
25 Baby Bump Friendly Boho Dresses

Flowy boho style dresses are a pregnant woman’s best friend during the spring and summers of pregnancy. They are so easy to wear when you’ve got a big baby bump and you can continue to wear them for postpartum and beyond. These dresses are so versatile and a closet staple for sure, you can wear them to all kinds of events or just around the house. Not to mention that you’ll feel like a Greek goddess in all her glory.

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Fashion & StyleGennifer RoseMaternityComment
Top 50 Questions About Surrogacy Answered
Top 50 Questions About Surrogacy Answered

You may know me as the blogger who travels all over California, but I actually do have a full-time office job working as a Marketing Manager for a Northern California surrogacy agency. I wanted to write this blog post because there are so many questions and concerns that potential surrogates have and the information available online is very limited.

I’ve seen so many happy families with their surrogacy babies and I know there are many more women out there who would make excellent surrogates. In general there’s a shortage of qualified surrogates compared to the amount of Intended Parents waiting to get matched.

So buckle up! All of the conversations I’ve heard happen behind closed doors I’m putting in this blog post because information is power. Your top 50 surrogacy questions answered with all brutal honesty I can muster. If there’s something holding you back from filling out a surrogacy application, hopefully I can address your concern and put your mind at ease.

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LifestyleGennifer RoseModern MamaComment
How to Dress Warm (but still look CUTE!) This New Year’s Eve
How to Dress Warm (but still look CUTE!) This New Year’s Eve

I’m a big fan of wearing sparkly sequins and New Years Eve is the perfect excuse to add all the sparkle you want to an outfit. There’s something magical about staying up late to ring in a new year, especially when the fireworks show starts as the clock strikes midnight. There’s always many parties and events happening the evening on December 31st, which means you’ll need the perfect festive ensemble.

The struggle with dressing for New Years is always the same - how to look fabulous while still keeping warm. New Years Eve festivities go late into the night, and often involve going outside to see fireworks. Not to mention the fact that we’re talking about the winter season so the temperatures can really dip down into the 40s here in California (and even colder for the East Coast).

In this guide I will give you some clever and fashionable tips to make your New Years Eve party style cute and warm at the same time. These pointers will also come in handy for any late fall or winter evening events where you may be outside (like a Halloween party for example!).

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Fashion & StyleGennifer RoseHoliday StyleComment
Your Guide to the Holiday Season in Sacramento
Your Guide to the Holiday Season in Sacramento

After all my holiday celebrating and Christmas-themed research I’ve done in this past month of December, I can officially declare that there’s no shortage of holiday cheer in California’s capital city of Sacramento.

One common theme I discovered is that the people of Sacramento really love supporting their peers, i.e. fellow Sacramento locals. On my list you’ll find ample opportunities to shop both small businesses and local artisans, plus support the arts like the Sacramento Ballet.

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TravelGennifer RoseHoliday Season, SacramentoComment
Hidden Gems Inside Apple Hill - Just Outside Sacramento!
Hidden Gems Inside Apple Hill - Just Outside Sacramento!

Apple Hill is pretty much a farm lover’s paradise! Most farms throughout the US are closed to the public, but in Apple Hill you’ll find over 50 local family farms and small businesses that welcome guests to pick produce and enjoy the countryside scenery.

Apple Hill is not actually a city itself, the territory runs through the small town of Camino into Placerville, CA. The Apple Hill community includes fruit & veggie farms, wineries, B&Bs, flower gardens, Christmas tree farms, restaurants and even a day spa.

While Apple Hill is most popular in the autumn season for apple picking and pumpkin patches, there’s actually plenty to explore year-round. In this blog post I outline all the hidden gems to see, eat, photograph and explore inside Apple Hill.

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TravelGennifer RoseSacramentoComment
The Best Christmas Gifts for All Five Love Languages
The Best Christmas Gifts for All Five Love Languages

The 5 Love Languages is both a theory and best selling book on how to improve your relationships with the loved ones in your life. Chapman’s advice is simple and uncomplicated, but still very impactful and easy to implement.

In a simple summary, every individual has both primary and secondary ways that they prefer to give and receive love. As individuals we are all unique in how we express emotions, and sometimes we have a hard time communicating or acknowledging those feelings with our loved ones because we we’re aware of their particular love language.

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LifestyleGennifer RoseHoliday SeasonComment
The Complete Travel Guide to Julian, California
The Complete Travel Guide to Julian, California

Just an hour's drive from sunny San Diego toward the mountains, and you find yourself in a completely different world. Julian is a tiny town – just a few streets and nearby farms and ranches. Because of its location in the mountains, there is a much brighter sense of seasonality – the heat in summer, yellow and red leaves in fall, snow in winter, and flowers in spring.

Tourists love coming to Julian, especially during the fall season, because it is one of the few places in Southern California where you can see colorful fall foliage. Combined with the beautiful scenery, it is also a great place to vacation out of town.

Another reason why Fall is great for visiting Julian is that it is apple picking season. Since the town's culture is associated with pies, this dish is a must-try. In Julian, they are baked and sold hot in all kinds of flavors, though the most popular, of course, is the apple pie.

We visited during the second week of November and in our pictures you can see all the holiday festivities and colorful fall foliage. In this guide you’ll see plenty of Julian family-friendly activities and even some romantic weekend itinerary ideas for a couple’s weekend away. For the foodie fans, I’ve also included all the must-try autumn foods and deserts.

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TravelGennifer RoseSan DiegoComment
Punch Bowl Social in Sacramento - Complete Guide to Planning Your Visit
Punch Bowl Social in Sacramento - Complete Guide to Planning Your Visit

Located inside the Kimpton The Sawyer Hotel in Midtown Sacramento you’ll find Punch Bowl Social. This venue can be best described as an entertainment and amusement hub featuring old-school meets modern games, arcades and billiards.

Inside the two story 25,000 square venue there’s bowling alleys, foosball table, giant versions of favorite board games, darts, vintage video games and more. Not to mention there’s a restaurant and multiple bars for crafted food and cocktails.

The aesthetics and decor are quirky and modern with large glass windows showing skyline city views of Downtown Sacramento. This is an ideal place for date nights or friends girls and guys night out.

I’ve been both in the daytime and at night to Punch Bowl Social. During lunch hours it’s very calm and low key lounging. But when the sun goes down the energy level kicks up and there’s twinkling lights everywhere and a buzzing scene.

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TravelGennifer RoseSacramentoComment
Top 10 Day Trips from Sacramento - Northern California Road Trips Under 2 Hours of Drive Time!
Top 10 Day Trips from Sacramento - Northern California Road Trips Under 2 Hours of Drive Time!

Sacramento is centrally located in Northern California, making it the perfect basecamp for exploring all that the region has to offer. My husband and I have lived in Sacramento for over 5 years now and we quickly discovered how incredibly convenient this prime location is for road-trips.

Within a 2-hour drive of the city, you'll find plenty of scenic places to visit, including top destinations like Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, and San Francisco. So whether you're looking to enjoy the great outdoors, experience some of the best wine and dining in the country, or want to explore a big urban city, Sacramento is the perfect starting point for your road-trip.

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TravelGennifer RoseSacramentoComment
The Office Filming Locations in Los Angeles and Scranton
The Office Filming Locations in Los Angeles and Scranton

If you haven’t guessed it by now, I am a huge fan of the TV show The Office - as evidenced by this massive guide you’re about to read. My friends and I decided to completely geek out on a trip to Los Angeles and dress up as our favorite The Office characters while we went on a self-guided tour to many of the filming locations in Southern California. I was dressed as β€œ3-hole-punch Jim”, Kara was Dwight and Brianna was Kelly.

The Office show takes places in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but in reality most of the show is filmed in Los Angeles. The most commonly used cities for filming locations is Van Nuys, Panorama City and Studio City - which are commonly known as β€œThe Valley” to LA locals.

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TravelGennifer RoseLos Angeles Comments
San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park - Pros and Cons of Each Park
San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park - Pros and Cons of Each Park

San Diego is a desirable vacation destination for many reasons. The weather is excellent year-round, the beaches are pristine, and San Diego is home to two of the most world-famous animal parks.

Both the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are enormous parks filled with a huge variety of rare and endangered wildlife. You can easily spend an entire day exploring each park, which leads to the conundrum of how to decide which park to visit during your trip. Hence this guide!

My husband and I are former San Diego residents, and my entire in-law family still live there. We’ve spent many family vacations exploring both the animal parks with our kids, and we can provide both a local and insider perspective.

In this comprehensive guide you’ll find detailed information about both animal park’s exhibits, top animals to see, location information, baby and kid-friendly pointers, and even what to eat. We’ve left no stone unturned and you can use all these tips to help you make an itinerary decision.

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TravelGennifer RoseSan Diego Comments
Top 10 Foodie Video Ideas for TikTok and Instagram Reels
Top 10 Foodie Video Ideas for TikTok and Instagram Reels

Calling all the foodie content creators out there, it’s time to step-up your video game. Whether you like to share recipes, show off your expert cooking skills or just really enjoy eating yummy food - there’s plenty of videos to be made.

This guide is for both beginners and the seasoned veterans alike (don’t mind my foodie pun!). If you’ve already been making food-themed content but are feeling like you’re in a rut and need some fresh inspiration, I’m sure you’ll find some new ideas listed below. Here are 10 of the best foodie video ideas that would be perfect for TikTok and Instagram reels.

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School for BloggersGennifer RoseComment