TooLooPeas Savory Southern Cuisine

There is a fabulous new restaurant in my neighborhood called TooLooPeas.  It is a restaurant that serves up savory southern cuisine.

TooLooPeas means "pretty little girl". It's a term of endearment to little girls coined by Mr. Elmer Thomas, father of owner, Vivian Thomas-Smith.  Mrs. Smith wanted to keep the word alive and continue the message of uplifting little girls so the name of the restaurant was born.

The restaurant is a jewel on the Southside of Atlanta and can be found in the quiet Stockbridge community. Stockbridge is the perfect community for the restaurant because of it's mix of rural and metropolitan city sensibilities.

The dishes are made fresh and all desserts are made IN HOUSE!!! That in itself is rare because so many places have dishes shipped in already prepared.  This might save money, but sometimes you end up sacrificing quality and taste to save money.

This restaurant allows customers to travel down memory lane while celebrating the flavors of delicious traditional southern meals made from scratch.  Check out the TooLooPeas Sampler:

Another one of the classic southern dishes they provide is TooLooPeas Mama's Chicken:

Below are just a few of the weekly events that TooLooPeas provides:
Tuesdays: 15% off of your meal for seniors, police, firemen, military and educators.
Wednesdays: Wine Down Wednesdays
Happy Hour: weekdays from 5-7 pm
Weekends: LIVE music - contact/follow them to find out which day and to see who will be performing

We discovered this restaurant on Father's Day last year.  We were pleasantly surprised.  We were able to get in without a long wait and the food was fabulous.  There's nothing like good down home food.  It just makes you smile and feel good.

On our latest trip to TooLooPeas, I had the TooLooPeas burger with fries.  The burger was seasoned well and cooked to perfection. My husband and son had the Shrimp Po Boy.  Let me just show you how big this sandwhich is.

OMG!!!! It looked and tasted great.  My ten year old son fell in love with the sauce on the sandwhich.  My husband had his with sweet potato fries and my son had regular fries.  You definitely get your moneys' worth.

TooLooPeas gets a whole hearted TWO THUMBS UP!!! Stop by and get some great southern food at a great price.

You can contact TooLooPeas via the following methods:

Address: TooLooPeas, 282 East Atlanta Rd, Stockbridge, GA 30281
Phone: 678-289-0912
Email: tooloopeas@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/meetmeattooloopeas
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tooloopeas

website: www.tooloopeas.com

Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner

One of the products that I have heard many curly girls raving about is Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner.  Every girl with curly hair that I know has either tried it and loved it or wants to try it so I had to do a review.

I went to my local beauty supply and caught it ON SALE!!! Go figure! The 10 oz. bottle is usually $19.99 but it was on sale for $16.99.  I was elated.  I know you're thinking, it's only a $3 difference, but when you find a product that rarely goes on sale for a discount, you have GOT to get it.  Some people say "$20 for conditioner??? That's a lot of money."  You really do get your moneys' worth because you use such a small amount of product at a time.

The leave-in conditioner moisturizes, controls frizz and defines curls.  This product is so universally loved because so many people can use it and achieve great results.  The bottle says "whether you're Black, White, Asian, Latin, Mediterranean or any glorious combination of the above, you'll love the way this alcohol-free, non-sticky, lightweight product leaves your hair inviting to touch as it defines and locks moisture into every curl."

I used the product this week after my hair was freshly washed. Since my hair was co-washed (washed with conditioner only), I applied the leave-in conditioner product only - using no other styling product.  I applied about a dime-sized amount and let my hair air-dry and here's my results:

My curls popped and were defined all the way to the ends.  My hair smelled incredible and was lightweight.  My only caution is: DO NOT over apply product!  If you get too product happy - you are going to have crunchy hair. I learned that my very first time using the product.  My hair looked amazing beyond belief but it was crunchy.  Some people like crunchy because of the curls looking super perfect and they will forgo softness and touchability for amazingly perfect curls.  If that is you, then apply the product with a heavier hand.  I like my hair to have a bit more movement and more touchability, so I apply less product. For those of you wondering "what in the world does she mean by "crunchy" hair, here's a picture:

As I said, hair looks amazing and red carpet ready, but it was crunchy.  Don't get me wrong, crunchy is in no means a bad thing, it's just a choice of how much you want your curls defined.  Some days I want curls that are fierce beyond belief and other days I want soft and subtle curls.

The best thing about the product other than it giving you amazing hair, is that it's vegan and cruelty free.  The aspect of the product being cruelty free is a biggy because that let's you know that no animals were harmed in the testing of the products.

My review of the product: FIVE STARS!!!!  It's a must-have Holy Grail product.  What else can I say? Amazing curls, economical product, vegan and cruelty free - it's a winner for everyone!

You can contact the Mixed Chicks company via the following websites:

www.mixedchicks.net

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mixedchicks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mixedchicks

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/mixedchickshair

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mixedchickshair

WOMEN OF PROSPERITY 02/03 by RichKid Radio | Women Podcasts

WOMEN OF PROSPERITY 02/03 by RichKid Radio | Women Podcasts



Me and my business: HOTlanta Beauty will be highlighted tonight on the "Women Of Prosperity" segment from 8 -10 pm tonight. Please call in to support and say hello!!! 323-410-0101

Michael Todd True Organics Review

This review is on the incredible Michael Todd line of organic products.  I have seen many people do reviews on the products and have heard wonderful things so I decided to give it a try.  The skin care line is made famous because they contain NATURAL products: the products are certified vegan.  They have discovery sets of products that come in the sizes of 1.7 oz and 1.3 oz. so you can try out the products in the line before making a commitment to a large size. I purchased the Normal or Combination Discovery Kit which contains a cleanser, toner, facial scrub, mask, and moisturizer.  Below are the descriptions of the products and my review of each.

The Discovery Kit came and as packaged beautifully and even included a free package of cleansing wipes.

 

 



1. One Step Cleanser/Toner: this product is 70% organic. The product cleanses, tones and removes all make-up and impurities.  For those of us that wear a lot of eye make-up, I would still use an eye make-up remover after cleansing.  The bottle has a pump and the product has a wonderful citrus smell.

 

 

 

2. Organic Lemon AHA+ DMAE Toner:  OMG!  I heard about this product more than any other in the line and now I see why.  This stuff smells AMAZING!  It's a fresh burst of lemon on your face. A lot of people have gotten away from toning and it's so important.  You must cleanse, tone and moisturize.  The toner exfoliates & firms your face. The product also improves skin tone and texture. I absolutely love it.  Just pour the product on a cotton ball or cotton pad and wipe your face.  Your face will smell incredible.  The product is 96% organic so you know you are just spreading good smelling healthiness all over your face.

 

 

 

3. Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub: this product removes dead skin, impurities and toxins. This should be used after cleansing and before toning 2 or 3 times a week.  It left my face feeling soft and smelled great.

 

 

 

4. Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask: I also heard great things about this product and looked forward to using it. This is to be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.  I used it right before writing this blog so I'm newly excited about it.  The product smells like pumpkin pie and the consistency is just right.  I thought it would be a clay-like consistency but it has a looser density.  You know you have an organic product on your face because the consistency is that of pureed pumpkin.  When I rinsed it off, my skin was left smooth and not tight - I was pleasantly surprised.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Citrus Cream Moisturizer - this product firms, lifts and moisturizes. I saw many reviews on this product and heard people saying that they did not like the smell.  They said it smelled weird. I must admit, that when I first tried the product, I agreed with the other people and thought "what the heck?"  It smells like a combination of lemon and charcoal. I don't know if I have gotten used to the smell or if it's toned down from being opened, but after a couple of uses the smell doesn't bother me and for the most part, all I smell is the lemon. I also have to give it kudos because it makes my skin feel soooooo soft.

 

 

 

So my final decision on the line??????  IT"S GREAT!!!!  You MUST try it.  You can always start with a Discovery Kit - there's one for Normal/Combination and one for Oily skin.   There's also a ton of other products for skin that you can find on the website.  Each product has a distinctive natural smell to it, so find a product you want to try and go for it!  With an organic based line, you can't go wrong.  You can feel good about every product going on your face.  When you sign up for emails on their website, you get rewarded with a 10% off coupon, so the Discovery Kit was under $30.  That is a small price to pay for 5 products of a natural skin care line.

 

You can find out more information about Michael Todd on the following websites:

 

www.michaeltoddorganics.com

www.facebook.com/michaeltoddtrueorganics

www.twitter.com/michaeltoddskin

www.pinterest.com/michaeltoddskin

www.instagram.com/michaeltoddtrueorganics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie - YUM!!!!!

As you can tell by the title, I'm in LOVE with this product.  This is yet another fantabulous product from the Shea Moisture line.    I bought this product from my local beauty supply store for $12.99.  The main ingredients in the product are Coconut Oil, Silk Protein and Neem Oil.   This product brings the benefits anti-frizz, moisture & shine to your hair. Nutrient-rich vegetable butters condition hair without weighing it down for bouncy, healthy curls.

How to use: Section hair and apply product sparingly to damp or dry hair.  DO NOT rinse out.  Then you just style the hair as usual.  For best results, use as a styling cream for twist-outs, braids and wash-and-go styles.

I have used the product at night when I braid my hair before bed in order to keep it hydrated, especially on the ends.  I have also used the product to style my hair in the morning after spraying my hair with my conditioner, oil and water mixture.  My curls are rejuvenated and pronounced using this product but yet soft to the touch when dry. Nobody wants crunchy hair and with this product, all your are left with is softness.

This product brings your curls to LIFE.  It leaves your hair super saturated and the smell is incredible.  It smells like a Pina Colada or a combination of different tropical fruits.  If your hair is naturally curly or curly via enhancements (weave) - this product will work wonders.  On people with tightly coiled hair,  it releases the natural curl pattern. On people with a looser curl pattern and waves, it brings pronounced definition.

The product has a thick consistency like a custard but absorbs easily in the hair without leaving any discoloration, stickiness or dryness.

I highly, highly, highly recommend this product.  It's a holy grail staple!

You can contact the Shea Moisture company via the information below:

Twitter:  @sheamoisture4u
Instagram: sheamoisture4u
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sheamoisture
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/sheamoisture

Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk review

Today's review is on the Shea Moisture Coconut & Hisbiscus Curl & Style Milk.  I LOVE the Shea Moisture line and plan to do a review on all of the products that I have from this company.  First of all, let me just tell you how good this smells.  It smells like a tropical, fruity beverage - like a Pina Colada. I purchased this product at Rite Aid for $9.99.  I had seen many reviews on it and wanted to try it out for myself.  Knowing that this was a Shea Moisture product, I figured, I couldn't go wrong.

The directions say that you can apply as a no-rinse protective and styling cream to dampened or towel-dried hair or to dry hair.

The base ingredients in the product are coconut oil, silk protein and neem oil. The Shea Moisture line is known for their ingredients containing: no parabens, no gluten, no mineral oil, no synthetic fragrances or colors and no testing on animals.  With so many people looking for natural products to ensure proper hair cure and growth promotion, the Shea Moisture line of products are the perfect choice.

I have used the product on my hair both wet and dry and have enjoyed the results.  During the week when I'm rushing to get ready for work, I apply the product after combing out my hair and spraying it down with my mixture of water, conditioner and oil.  Yesterday, after my hair dried I decided to comb some of the curls out.  Of course, after I did that, then I hated to way my hair looked because it got too big.  So instead of re-wetting my hair and going through the whole process again, I decided to use the Curl & Style Milk.  I divided my hair in 4 sections, then poured about a quarter sized amount into the palm of my hand and applied to each section from the middle of the hair to the tips. The product was light enough where it didn't weigh the hair down but had just the right amount of thickness, to make the hair lay down more so it would fall better.  The curls were moisture and shiny.

I highly recommend this product and this will become a style staple in my beauty regime.  You can purchase these products at your local beauty supply as well as the major drug stores, Walmart and Target.

Their products are currently on sale at Walgreens and Target: buy one, get one 50% off.  That is HUGE! If you haven't tried their products, this is the perfect opportunity to become acquainted with their awesome products.  If you are a Shea Moisture fan, I don't have to tell you: IT'S TIME TO STOCK UP!!!!!

"Like" their page on Facebook.
Follow them on Twitter @SheaMoisture4U
Follow them on Instagram @SheaMoisture4U
You can also look up Shea Moisture on Pinterest and follow them.
www.sheamoisture.com

HOTlanta Beauty: From bed head to fabulous. . .

HOTlanta Beauty: From bed head to fabulous. . .: I woke up this morning looking like a Chia Pet.  I went to bed last night without braiding my hair - I was just plain lazy. So what's a ...