A Weekend Trip to Pittsburgh

We realized a few weeks ago that we needed a private getaway badly. Work has been extremely stressful and full of sick people. We have been dealing with personal illnesses within the family as well as the deaths of friends of friends as well as family of coworkers and the death of a very close friend of Will and I. We ended up deciding on a weekend trip to Pittsburgh, which is a 2 hour drive away and such a beautiful city. There is so much culture, color, and a cheery atmosphere despite it being January. 

We decided to stay at a historic hotel, and I am so glad we did. The Omni William Penn was built in 1914 and I honestly felt like I boarded the Titanic. The decor was preserved gorgeously, and our room was stunning...with two bathrooms! I did not feel for one second that anything needed updating or renovating as many classic hotels do. My favorite feature had to be the lobby. Each morning we went and got bagels and smoothies at Bruegger's in the basement of the hotel and came up to the lobby to people watch. I will never get tired of the crown molding, ceiling detail and chandeliers throughout the entire hotel. 

Here you can see The Terrace Room, one of the three restaurants to eat at in the hotel. I loved that there were so many options including this upscale restaurant which includes lighter fare and delicious appetizers with drinks, bloody Mary bars on Sundays. 

Breakfast in the lobby on a velveteen chair! (My blazer is from Tuckernuck but no longer available.) 

We ate snacks and had drinks at The Tap Room, the more casual bar at the hotel. I loved how cozy it felt. We unfortunately did not get a chance to try whiskey at the Speakesey in the basement but I hope to return someday and try it out! 

My leopard silk Devon Baer top was found used on Poshmark! 

I enjoyed a Cosmopolitan 25 while Will enjoyed a drink which I can't remember the name of in the lobby of the Omni William Penn just outside of The Terrace Room. We had a delicious brie grilled cheese spread as well. The hotel had so much to see, and our stay was absolutely wonderful. The service was fantastic as well. I loved how they offered fresh apples and hot apple cider at all times by the front desk. We grabbed a few mugs and enjoyed them with our fresh baked goods from Prantl's bakery downtown. 

We spent the day at the Carneige Museum of Natural History, and it was stellar. I would recommend it to anyone within driving distance. I felt like I was rushing because I could have spent hours reading everything. The $20 admission was worth every penny, because it also allowed entry to the art galleries as well which included classics from some of my most idolized artists including Monet, Van Gogh and Hopper. I would say we both agreed the Hall of Gems was our favorite exhibit. We have never seen anything like it and probably won't again for a long time. I love that under each gem there was a location of where it was found. Our second favorite exhibit was the dinosaurs. I cannot believe how much time and dedication has gone into reconstructing and imagining the dinosaurs. 

Getting married in the grand staircase would be magical! 

I would love to find jewelry in this "Rainbow" pyrite. Anyone know of any places that have sold this gemstone?

I'll take this blue and white ceramic vase for my home, please. 

I also loved all of the guilded antique furniture. It really inspired Will and I to go antiquing soon, especially since Amish country is so near to us. 

Additionally, we enjoyed dinner at Primanti's in the Strip District, shopping at the Ross Park Mall (where Will was so excited to find The Art of Shaving Store), a trip to Shadyside where we had authentic Mexican food at the Steel Cactus and shopped at a neat boutique L'Occotaine. Even Will bought shea soap. The trip up the cable car to the top of Mount Washington was also magical and memorable at night. We could see everything. The only thing we did not get to cross off our list was ice skating because it was just too cold. 

I truly love the convenience of being able to get away quickly. It is relaxing and refreshing without being overly expensive with the hassle of having to travel on an airline or stress of planning a week long vacation away from home. We had such a wonderful time. 

XOXO, 

My Skincare Routine

I recently had a few questions on my skincare routine from a few coworkers, and I have also had a lot of interest in beauty routines and my favorite products previously between Instagram followers and my previous blog domain in the past. Here is a step by step guide to my skincare routine both day by day and throughout the week.

All of my products are tried and true. I have used them for many years and have a tendency to keep going back to them regardless of if I have tried other products. While I understand that many of my picks are pricey, I believe your skin is something you should always invest in, because you only have one shot at it through life. This being said, wear sunscreen each time you are going to be in the sun for an extended amount of time (they say anything greater than 20 minutes regardless of rain or shine requires sun protection). I live in the north so being blasted by the sun on a daily basis is not a main concern of mine, especially since I work night shift. In fact, I have been told by my dermatologist that 20 minutes of sun exposure can be healthy for those are deficient in Vitamin D. However, there is a very fine line between soaking in a beneficial amount of rays and worshiping the sun.

I wash my face two times a day, no more and no less regardless of whether or not I have worn makeup. I have two toned skin, so washing my skin more will result in overdrying after which my skin will produce copious amounts of oil. When I wake up to go to work, I wash my face with St. Ive's Exfoliating face wash. I use a tear-drop sponge to exfoliate which I tend to replace every 3 to 4 weeks. I also wash my face in the shower when I get home from work with the same face cleanser. I always like to make sure my cleanser has salicylic acid to fight blemishes. I find that this face cleanser is cheap, is not formulated with any phthalates or parabens and has just the right amount of salicylic acid to not overdry my skin. I have found that benzyl peroxide leaves my skin with large, scabby flaky patches which is not ok. Not to mention, St. Ive's is cheap and can be found almost anywhere, as well as exfoliating pads.

Every time I wash my face I also follow up with a toner and a moisturizer, both 2 minutes within getting out of the shower. The toner helps even skin tone and finish cleaning oil and excess makeup off. I am always surprised that I can dirty two to three cotton balls with junk from my face despite having washed and exfoliated my face in the shower.

 I then use my favorite face serum underneath my moisturizer whether it is morning or night. I thought I should or would ever use a face serum, and once I did I noticed a difference immediately. I tried argan oil and thicker night moisturizers, but nothing left my skin as soft, supple and ageless as Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Recovery Complex. It has a formula that not only moisturizes but produces radiance, fixes dryness, and fades dark spots. It never leaves my skin oily, and I have felt like in the 3 years since I have been using this my face is at a "stand-still" despite trekking through multiple Northeastern snow belt winters. However, it does not stand alone...I smooth it all over my face and neck but still follow up with a day moisturizer with SPF in the morning or a night cream in the evening before I go to bed. I use Neutrogena for both, as I find they are affordable but do the job beautifully since I go through a jar at least every 2 - 3 months. A $45 - $75 moisturizer would get expensive very quickly considering I use a different one in the evening and at night. I think it is so important to use a night moisturizer in the evening because the goal is to hydrate and let your skin breathe with a thicker cream. I often get free samples from Sephora with my purchases and will do a water pack mask at night when I don't have to worry about my face looking oily.

What do I think my true secrets to beautiful skin are? I never spot treat blemishes with hyper-drying ointments, I always always always wash my makeup off before bed, and I make it a point to wear both a moisturizer and a foundation during the day with an SPF. I have also included a link in the scrolling Polyvore insert with my favorite sunblock to wear in sunny weather in addition to a hat. Though the theories state SPF does not work after 30, I say the higher the block the better.

Three times a week I will also use the Philosophy Oxidizing Facial Peel. I cannot rave about this peel enough. You first put on a charcoal base peel and let it sit for a minute. The second step cream is added to the charcoal base and it starts to foam. The combination of the two allows for an oxidation process that lets bursts of oxygen into your pores. After three minutes, you use the dermablade to exfoliate and scrape off the peel. It truly clears the skin and my face feels like silk through a gentle process. Once a week, I also use a thick Boscia fask mask to pull off extra oil in my ENT zone and also pull out extra "crud" in my pores that more gentle exfoliating might not pull out.

Some of the dream products I would like to try out include La Mer's moisturizer. I also would like to find an eye cream in the future. I will let you know if I find one that I love!  You can shop all of my favorite products below, and ask any questions...skincare is my passion!

What are you favorite cult beauty products to use? 

XOXO, 

Ibotta

You may have read my post a few weeks ago about making extra money at home. When I switched blog domains after life changing events, I didn't make it a huge focus to obtain an income from my blog. I will admit I used to sell ad spaces and made a decent amount of PayPal cash doing so. However, it became exhausting focusing on creating so many sponsor shout out posts a week, as I felt a lot of my content was related only to clothing and products that my sponsors were selling. I always make sure that when accepting a partnership with any sponsor, that their products and mission align with my blog style. No one wants to read a blog that is solely promoting other companies in a mess of advertisements and product plugs. 

This all being said, I miss the extra little money that was coming in with the hobby that I spend so much time investing in. So, I started looking for extra ways to make "chump change," which is what I use to buy things that I don't need but have had my eye on. Read my previous post to see how I make a decent amount of change using eBates, cashback, and Swagbucks. 

I was recently reading another blog friend's post and heard about Ibotta.  I promise, I am not getting any compensation for this post so it is my opinion only. 

You can download this app on both Android and Apple phones. It is so easy to use, the premise being earning money for things you need to buy anyways. Before going to the store to grocery shop, buy cosmetics, etc., you use the app to search for the store you are going to shop at, and then search through the deals and rebates they are offering. Select the deals on items you will be buying (like .50 cents back on milk, 50 cents back on bananas, or $1.00 back just for buying grocery items). They will be saved to your virtual "cart." When you return from shopping, take a photo of your receipt and the app will verify cashback on your purchases and credit your account within 24 hours. 

Seriously, I about flipped when within a day of having this app I earned $2.50 searching through old receipts on items I had to buy anyways to survive, like food. After earning $20 in cashback and rebates you can redeem your account balance for various gift cards, even if that means returning the money you saved and continue to use it to buy more groceries. 

Growing up, I always remember my mom using coupons. I am a single girl living in my own apartment, and I do not buy enough food to use the countless coupons that I clip and hide in my coupon sorter. I rarely replace toilet paper, and milk, bread and orange juice seem to be the items I purchase the most. Rather than wasting time clipping coupons I never end up using, it is so much easier for me just to use this app to quickly search for items that I will be purchasing immediately. 

Also worth mentioning...there are bonuses for every few rebates you redeem. Recommend this app to your friend, have them use your coupon code, and they will earn $10 and you have $5 credited to your account. Sweet!

I definitely think this is one of those apps that you need to recommend to your frugal friends. 

You're welcome, in advance. 

XOXO, 

Lately: What's In My Bag Edition

My entire life, I have had an obsession with bags. I am pretty sure my mom has photos of me when I was little carrying around purses. I remember rummaging through my moms basket of handbags and shoes, playing dress up for hours. In fact, I think my graduation party announcement had a reference to me loving purses. I thought it was only appropriate to make one of my "Lately" posts a what's in my bag edition. I always enjoyed reading these types of posts on other blogs, being open minded to the ways other people do things. After all, what proper lady doesn't love a good handbag post?

Key Holder: I bought this Louis Vuitton key holder and wrote a post about it a few weeks ago. I love it. The convenience of being able to to keep my keys, a few cards, and emergency cash in a small card-holder sized leather good rather than carry around my rather bulky wallet is fantastic. I also keep my Giant Eagle card and gym membership on a key hook as well. That being said, another item in my bag is...

Wallet: I recently upgraded my wallet while downgrading in size. I hated not being able to fit my wallet into a medium sized tote. In my wallet, I always keep extra stamps, my insurance cards and emergency cash. I also used to carry a surplus of advantage cards in my wallet and now I solely carry my Ulta and Sephora cards as well as my library card.

Pouch with Emergency Goods: I have always kept an "emergency pouch" in my purse. They make similar emergency pouches packed with every imaginable thing you never would have thought you needed and sell them at places like Francesca's. In my pouch, I keep acetaminophen, a mini sewing kit, band aids, alcohol pads, a Tide to go kit, Kleenex, scissors, anti-sting for insect bites, hand sanitizer, lotion, and lip balm. I always make sure my hand sanitizer and lotions are in a pouch so they won't ruin my bag interior if they spill. I also keep a mini .1 oz perfume and a pack of gum, boob tape (for a fancy night out) and jaw clips.

Pouch with Female Products: Because things always happen exactly when you don't want them to.

Pouch with Lip Essentials: I also keep my favorite Lip essentials with me in lieu of a giant makeup bag.  My mother always told me if nothing else, wear a lipstick that compliments your skin if you are in a rush.  I keep with me a lip stain, lip crayon and lip gloss.  I also keep 10 ml of my Lamcome perfume with me in case I need to freshen up when I am out and put on my perfume before I left so as not to clash scents (as I mentioned I also keep 10 ml of a spare perfume in my bag).

Selfie Stick: Some of the best photos that I have taken have been with my selfie stick.  I have even had people ask who has taken photos of Will and I when we have been out because it allowed us to take photos of large landscapes we would never have been able to take with a skinny arm in the photo.  

Others: A compact mirror, sunglasses, matches, compact puyrse hanger, cell phone, notepad, pen (always with a cap), post-it notes, portable phone charger, phone cables, headphones, sunglasses straps, key fob in case I need to take my car key out of my key holder, a good book, and my tablet

What items do you carry in your bag that others might not think of for unusual occasions?

XOXO, 

Rachael

Paintings By Rachael: Page is Now Live!

I am so excited to announce that I now have a blog page dedicated to my small business Paintings by Rachael which originated from my Instagram shop @paintingsbyrachael. 

Read my description of how to purchase below, and visit my new tab above to shop almost all of the store. 

Almost all prints that I am selling are $50 with the exception of a few due to either large or small size. Due to the large array of artwork that I have, size is not always displayed below an item. I will be more than happy to reference specific measurements for you, please either comment below using the title, email me at rachael_bucey@hotmail.com or comment on a specific listing on Instagram. Please note that the list of artwork below is not all inclusive, as the entire listing set is live on @paintingsbyrachael. All prints are high quality and glossy. 

*To inquire about purchasing an original, please email me directly.* 

All payments are invoices are sent through Paypal for verification and the safety of both myself the buyer. Please comment "SOLD" and reference the piece you would like to purchase and include your email to buy. Shipping and handling is $15USD unless your piece is otherwise indicated as large. If I know you personally, I would be more than happy to hand deliver or accept a check. 

I would be more than happy to send you more photos and details on piece specifics. 

 I take pride in the fact that each and every one of these pieces was an original made by me. Therefore, if you ever reference any of my artwork please link it back to me on either Instagram or this page. 

CURRENT DEAL: Reference code " 6FOR200" to purchase 6 original pieces for the the price of 4.

Below are some of my favorite new listings! 

Happy shopping!

XOXO. 

Louis Vuitton Keyholder Review

First of all, I am so excited to announce that you can now browse A Duchess & A Blog posts by labels (aka tags) in case you are looking for something in particular. Find the cloud titled "Labels" in my right hand sidebar and you can see some of my most popular topics. Click on a hyperlink and all the posts related to that label will populate!

was saving up some of the money that I earned through Swagbucks, blog ads, eBay and Poshmark in order to buy a Louis Vuitton key holder. I did lots of research before investing in this, because I realize it is a little pricey for a small piece of leather. However, I knew the quality that comes with Louis Vuitton products is impeccable and I want this to be something that I bought once.

To be honest, I looked for used options first. Tradesy and The Real Real are my favorite sites for used luxury goods because they go through a long and reliable authentication process. Poshmark is a close second, but I don't like that the item needs to be over $500 for the free authentication process because I also like to browse for small leather goods like this.

I chose to opt for the monogram canvas, because I feel it is classic and also matches my recently thrifted Louis Speedy 35 bag. I also feel that it is sturdy and least likely to fade from normal wear and tear. The Damier is my second favorite option, but again I think the monogram is most classic and I enjoy matching bags and wallets as much as the next woman likes matching bras and panties.

I like the 6 key option best, because it allows me to use two of the hooks for rewards cards (which used to take up a huge bulk of my key ring). I use another hook for my house keys, one for my boyfriend's house keys, one for my car ring, and another for my mailbox holder. This hits the spot for those who valet frequently because you can simply slide the holster to the side and pull off a key with the hook. I also like the convenience of being able to carry my ID, an emergency $20, and a credit card on a quick trip out. Unfortunately, my wallet is absolutely gigantic because it also includes insurance cards, multiple credit cards and large rewards cards like my Sephora VIB card, and my checkbook. It is just not practical to carry around, and every time I would go out with friends I would remember my ID but not my credit card, or vice versa. I like that I can always have my essential on me at all times and then bring extra things from my wallet if I need to. This way, everything fits in my back pocket or easily in a jacket.

I also recommend to this to anyone with a high end bag or expensive belongings within a bag. Keys are sharp, and over time they will beat up your belongings.

What is your favorite option for carrying around the bare minimum essentials for a trip to the bar or the grocery story?

XOXO,

Barbour Calvary Quilted Jacket

If there is any item you should add to your closet that is classic and carries from season to season effortlessly, it is the Barbour Calvary Quilted Jacket. I have it in navy, and it is an item I have worn countless times through the seasons after gifted to me from Country Club Prep a few years ago. 

I don't have wide hips, so I love that this feminine jacket cinches at the hips to help you keep form. It also has snap closure pockets for your gloves, which is a foolproof way to keep me from losing my leather gloves for the umpteenth time. 

This jacket is impeccably warm when layered with a cashmere scarf and a warm cable knit turtleneck. 

Such a timeless investment. Though pricey, the quality is unmatched and will surely hold up throughout the years. I would recommend waiting until Country Club Prep or another retailer has a sale that does not exclude discounts and add 25% off to your purchase. 

XOXO,