Weekend Adventures

Good Evening, Lovelies! We had a wonderful weekend away!

My Coco Bear and I went to see his parents in Virginia and we had a lovely time as always...We left Friday, just before noon and arrived right around 4pm. I drove, (shout out to my new car, which turned 2000 miles near Lynchburg!) it rained a little and I got up (and down) the mountain and through the woods without incident.

We went to a Hibachi restaurant, Massaki Japanese Steakhouse, where we were quite entertained by our chef.  Coco Bear's parent's have never been to a restaurant where they cook in front of you and seemed fairly impressed. On our way out of Staunton, I spied this interesting building on the hill...

                                                        Western State Hospital V.A.             

https://roadtrippers.com/us/staunton-va/points-of-interest/dejarnette-childrens-asylum

...and of course now, I am intrigued with it's history! It's one of those places, that much like the places back where I grew up, you look at and think, I've been here before. Plus it's a FREAKIN' ...CHILDREN'S ASYLUM..., if that does't give you a little thrill chill, then brutha, I'm glad I'm not you...

Saturday morning, after fortifying ourselves with an awesome breakfast, we were off to Grottoes, VA to visit the Grand Caverns. I have never legit been inside a cave before, so this was pretty exciting to me!

Cathedral Hall (Washington's Ghost)
www.grandcaverns.com

The guided tour lasted about an hour and covered nearly a mile and a half (there is some back-tracking). Our tour guide, Gunner, was informative and appeared to really enjoy showing the caves and different formations along the way. The cave was cool inside, only about 58 degrees and pathways, while not greatly illuminated, are graveled...that being said, bring a jacket and comfy shoes!

Shenandoah Heritage Market   

After our spelunking, we decide to visit Shenandoah Heritage Market aka The Mennonite Marketplace. A flea-market type place, the stores appear to cater to Mennonite population and tourists who wish to pick up an apron, shoe-fly pie mix or any other wholesome type merchandise that Shenandoah Heritage Market peddles. Two stores of note, Grandma's Pantry and Timeless Toys, are worth the visit! Grandma's pantry has an awesome selection of vintage and homemade candies and delectable hand-made soaps, while Timeless Toys has a great selection of what appeared to be sturdily made wooden toys and doll houses/ doll furniture. Definitely a place that will be on my list to visit again!

https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/tag/myrtle-knox-ghost-story/

So, being that it was supper time, we went to a delightful place, The Depot Grille.  Located in an old train depot, The Depot Grille has the best Bison burger I have had in a long time. The tables are covered in brown paper and crayons are available for doodling masterpieces while you wait for your food. There is also a bit of ghost story connected with the train depot, Read About It Here, so that makes it just a little bit more fascinating for me!

We had a lovely time and while it was nice to get away, it is always good to be home again.

                   

Harvey Prince's Cherie Blossom Review and Giveaway!

                                                                        Harvey Prince
                                                                       Cherie Blossom

Good evening, Lovelies! I have recently found a very charming perfume company and I thought I would share with you!  Harvey Prince, founded by two brothers who were inspired by their mother, believed that perfume should be affordable and free of toxic chemicals. The perfumes are crafted in the USA, with the finest ingredients and never tested on animals.

I was thrilled to receive Cherie Blossom, a warm soft scent that does not over-power but gets the point across all the same. Delicate, with hints of a musk and vanilla, it is long lasting and perfect for these summer days with a sensuality that moves into summer nights effortlessly.  It is a timeless scent and one that you will no doubt reach for again and again.

The lovely folks at Harvey Prince have kindly offered to host a giveaway here at Homemaking Harlot for three of my lovely readers to win their very own Cherie Blossom perfume. To enter the giveaway, please:

1. Visit Harvey Prince and comment on this blog what perfume you'd love to try!

2. Follow Harvey Prince on Twitter and tweet some love for them with the hashtag  #WhiffLove.

3. Like Harvey Prince on Facebook and use the hashtag #WhiffLove.

4. Subscribe to Harvey Prince's Newsletter Harvey Prince (it's at the top of the page!)

5. Follow on Instagram @harveyprince, use the hashtag #WhiffLove

Three lucky, lovely winners will be contacted on August 29th! Good Luck!!!

Whiff Love indeed,

The Homemaking Harlot

(I was sent this product from Harvey Prince in exchange for an honest review, that being said, I only promote products that I would use or that I feel would benefit my lovely readers!)

B. Witching Bath Co.

www.bwitchingbathco.com

I'm a sucker for bath products...bubbles, oils, scrubs and everything in between! So when I read an article in the August issue of  Woman's Day magazine featuring B. Witching Bath Co.'s Sea Glass Hand Wash, I knew I'd have to check out their website...and I'm so glad I did!

Established in 1969, B. Witching Bath Co. prides itself on its wholesome, yet indulgent products. With items such as One Hundred Roses Organic Bath Oil and  Heirloom Tomato Hand Wash, you will find something to please and pamper yourself.

After checking out the website, I contacted  B. Witching Bath Co and their president, Barbara Bruce-Ross, kindly and graciously offered to send me a few of their awesome items!

The first thing I noticed was their attention to the smallest detail. The items came beautifully packaged, wrapped in tissue paper printed with pictures of herbs. A card with a handwritten message. Even the shipping box is printed with a logo and a storefront. This is indeed a company that takes pride in their product!

So...onto the review. The first item I tried was the Rose Water Balancing Facial Toner. I adore a good rose water toner (yes, I am old-school) and this is the best I have used in a long time. It has a very delicate scent of roses, it is great for sensitive skin and does not strip my skin at all. I love the fact that it does have remnants of rose petals in the bottle.

The next item is the Indian Summer Exfoliating Sugar Scrub. This smells amazing! Picture a fall day so warm that you take your sweater off as you fall into a pile of freshly raked leaves, while looking into a clear afternoon sky. The consistency is unlike any other body scrub I have used, as it is dry.  A little goes a long way and my skin, after my bath felt smooth and soft.

The last item and my favorite was the Natural Honey Facial Cleansing Bar. A sweet warm smell of honey, this bar has a light, clean-rinsing lather. Definitely gentle enough for everyday use, as it is made with royal jelly and not at all drying. This will be a staple along with the Rose Water for my morning facial regimen.

B. Witching Bath Co. will be a go-to place for a lot of my gift shopping as the customer service is awesome, the attention to detail is second to none and the products are natural, ecologically-friendly and never tested on animals.

It's Been a Minute (Blog Update)

Hello all my Lovelies!

I did not mean to be away from my precious project for so long!!!

I have been working a bit more lately and also procrastinating...but I'm proud of myself:) I was able to make the cutest birthday gift for a very special friend and I have another one in the works for someone else...I've also started looking at patterns for cross stitch bracelets and have started one, of course I will post pics here:)

As far as the domestic scene, I feel like I have been on the go lately with work and all, have not really got to do much. I do have a house-keeping plan on paper (rough draft), but have not really implemented much of it. I think that will be my goal for the next two weeks.

I will be starting a new blog series, Weigh-in Wednesday (clever name, right?)  It will chronicle my weight loss adventures. I'm kinda struggling though...should I be completely transparent (embarrassed) or keep somethings to myself?

But for now, I'm enjoying my weekend off and ready to fill up my bathtub and escape into Storm of Swords for a couple of chapters... Hope all my lovely readers enjoy their weekends as well!