Her Tasty Life

Happy Friday, my loves! We’re going to end the week on a high note answering all of your questions. Coffee Talk with Her Tasty Life has got to be my favorite post of all posts! I love connecting with you and having this monthly dialogue — and half the time it gives me such a laugh, some of you are seriously funny.

As for me, I’ll be 32 weeks pregnant tomorrow (only eight weeks to go!) and Eric and I are really kicking into overdrive getting things ready for our little guy to arrive. I had my first baby shower over the weekend (more on that later) and things in our home are rapidly transitioning from ‘chic and urban’ to ‘family and fuzzy’ — its a crazy change, but we are beyond excited!

But let’s get on with it! You submitted a bunch of fabulous questions on Instagram and I’m excited to dig in. If you have a burning question, you can always submit coffee talk questions outside of Instagram, and do it right here. If you have something you’d like me to answer, leave it in the comments section below and I’ll answer in the next round.

The bf and I have finally found and decided on a house. We haven’t lived together full time because he has a son. At most, we’ve spent a week or two max together nonstop — what advice do you have for making cohabitation easier? 

Wow, this is an exciting and somewhat stressful time, isn’t it? This is going to be a big transition for both of you, but ultimately congrats are in order! I’m really happy you’ve found a home, it’s such a blessing. To help make cohabitation easier, and especially with his son involved, I think it’s really important to keep communication at the forefront of your relationship. Talking through the process and keeping yourself as a united duo on the same page can carry you through pretty much anything.

Make sure your needs are heard, and you’re hearing his, too. Talk out any concerns, don’t bury or neglect tough conversations, and keep the lines of communication open and judgement-free.

What’s the best and worst part of being pregnant? 

The best part is easy — it’s magical! There is so much going on with my body and the baby everyday, it’s pretty much mesmerizing. The other day I got to experience the baby having hiccups for the first time in the womb. It was wild! Always being reminded of the growing little being inside of me makes me so excited for what’s to come.

The worst part, also easy — is the sleep, or really, the lack thereof. In this third trimester my sleep has been an extreme challenge. I’m up all night long. Whether it’s going to bathroom a zillion times, having a difficult time getting comfortable, or being awoken by the kicks and punches of tiny bubba, sleep is hard to come by. I know what everybody says, this will get me ready for the sleepless nights to come, but its been a really tough adjustment to zombie life.

If you could only use three beauty products per day, what would your fav three be? 

Yes… I actually answered this question in the last edition of Coffee Talk. It was the very first question I answered, and it’s right here.

Where is somewhere you’ve never traveled to that you want to go? 

Highest on my travel bucket list is Australia. I’ve always wanted to plan a trip to the down under continent — I’m dying to visit Bondi Icebergs, see dingos in person, and photograph the Sydney Opera House. I really hope to be able to check off Australia in the next few years, fingers crossed.

Would you ever commit to your blog full time? 

Absolutely. It has been part of my goal setting plan for the future and I hope to see it come to fruition. For now, I’m still loving my consulting work and plan to continue doing both for as long as I can. What can I say, I’m a multi-tasker at heart.

What’s your advice on growing your Instagram following? 

My best advice for growing is simple: engage, engage, engage. You can’t engage enough. Liking photos, leaving comments, following others. You have to cast a wide net if you expect to get your account seen. The Instagram pool is quite full these days, and with the advancements of technology and a few killers apps, everyone’s account looks bomb on the Insta! If you want to set yourself apart, you have to do it by being more engaged than the next guy. Hustle a little harder, put yourself out there more, and don’t forget you have to put in what you hope to get out.

How do you get that lip perfection? 

Can I get an amen for liquid lipstick?! It has seriously changed my lip game. I know it’s not for everybody, and the feel and consistency are something you have to get used to, but if you can put your glossy days behind you, liquid lipstick makes all lips look plumper and bolder. Even with a light color, the opacity of it coats the lips and permits for just the right amount of overdraw making your lips look bodacious! Here are a few of my favs:

1. Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Koko K
2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Soft Lilac
3. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Amore

What is your favorite restaurant for a girls night out in the summer? 

Well, I have a few, hope that’s ok. More than anything, I love to sit outside on a balmy summer night eating on a patio or rooftop in Chicago. Here are a few of my favorite options a girls night al fresco for this upcoming summer: RM Champagne Salon, Kaiser Tiger, Parson’s, and Tanta.

If you could only choose one awesome place to eat in Chicago, where would that be? 

My favorite restaurant in Chicago is Kai Zan for sushi, but for those of you out there that prefer a non-raw option, my second favorite restaurant current is GT Prime. It’s a modern take on a steakhouse that just sings with originality, expertly prepared food and a stunning dining room. It’s perfect for special occasions, date nights, or just treating yoself!

What’s your best advice to get more traffic to your blog? 

Generating traffic to a blog is challenging, I speak from experience. Instagram and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) have been my main drivers of eyes on Her Tasty Life. However, I know a ton of people who have also had success driving traffic using platforms like Pinterest and Bloglovin’. Lastly, make sure you’re optimizing your SEO and picking strong key words and niche topics. Plugins like Yoast will help you monitor that.

What products do you use on your hair? 

I recently switched to new haircare products and have exclusively been using Balmain Hair Couture for a few weeks now and I’m OBSESSED! My favorite products from the line so far have been their argan moisturizing elixir (to maintain my softness and smoothness), the dry shampoo (can’t live without it) and the texturizing salt spray (for beachy, no style days). Not only are the products super high quality, but the packaging also happens to look super chic on your countertop.

If you could choose just one bag out of your collection, which one is your favorite? 

My Chanel small flap bag is definitely my favorite — especially since it was one of the first designer bags I ever bought myself and after months of saving and a few strategic eBay sales, no less. It has withstood the test of time with its classic style and still looks beautiful and brand new after years.

What are your two top favorite shows on Netflix? 

Netflix and chill, baby!! I’m a huge documentary watchers and have found some awesome nuggets on Netflix. Two of the documentaries I’ve been totally blown away by are The Imposter and the series, The Jinx. Great watching!

What’s the nicest thing Eric does for you while you’re preggo? 

Absolutely love this question! Every night before bed, Eric rubs my favorite Burt’s Bees “bump cream” on my belly. He say a little goodnight to the baby and makes sure my growing bump is soft and moisturized before bed. It’s a really sweet ritual and something I love that he does.

What’s your biggest pregnancy craving? 

I’ve had a little shift in this arena. Although I’m still on a plentiful fresh fruit attack and eat tons of it, my latest cravings have been a bit more decadent. We’ve been joking that I’ve moved into a ‘cake phase’ of this pregnancy because I’ve had cake, cookies and other sweet things (I’m looking at you, froyo) on the brain nonstop lately. I try not to overindulge, but have definitely been perusing the dessert menu more often than normal lately.

That’s it for this edition of Coffee Talk! Hope I covered all of the bases and can’t wait until next time. Cheers to a beautiful Holiday weekend!