How I'm Helping Break My Diet Coke Habit

This post is sponsored by Sparkling ICE but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


Sparkling ICE drinks
Sparkling ICE water

Happy Thirsty Thursday! To say I'm attached to Diet Coke is an understatement. On average, I have one to two cans a day. I know, not healthy in the slightest but everyone has to have at least one vice, right? I heard about Sparkling ICE from a couple of friends who completely raved about it and I figured maybe it could help me kick my dirty little soda secret. Continue reading to learn more about my new favorite refreshment while on the go in the sweltering heat here in New York City! There's literally a rainbow of assorted flavors to choose from!

TASTE

  • Sparkling ICE Water comes in 16 different flavors.
  • My favorite is lemon-lime and kiwi strawberry.
  • Amazon has different variety packs to choose from, and if you're a prime member you get free shipping!
  • The flavors are made from natural fruit juices. 

PRICE

  • They are around $2.00 here in NYC 
  • They sell them individually or in bundles
  • Amazon has a great price - you can usually get a 12-pk for $10.37. (view the deal)

INGREDIENTS

  • First off, these refreshments are not a water substitute by any means. I've been choosing Sparkling ICE over Diet Cokes to help with my habit. I love carbonated drinks and these have vitamins, anti-oxidants, and real flavor. Did I mention they contain zero calories?! It's been a really great soda replacement. 

Want to know more about these fruit-flavored waters? Well, #GetFizzy with it! Click here to shop while also saving up to 15% plus get free delivery if you subscribe & save as a Prime member on Amazon! Learn more about Sparkling ICE at sparklingice.com and facebook.com/sparklingice

LOVE & XX'S, 

NYC style blog

SHOP THE PRODUCT

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Pawther's Day with Michelob ULTRA

This post is sponsored by Michelob Ultra but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


We all know that living a life of balance isn’t easy. Balancing work, staying healthy, and spending quality time with the people we love is a major accomplishment in today’s society. Most of us fall short of achieving this balance, and often the many aspects of our busy lives supersede family time, especially with our dads. But there’s one time of year that we take time to give dads the appreciation they deserve: Father’s Day. Which is why this year I'm giving a major shoutout to my husband; the father to our dog, MaQ, who is just the best pawrent ever! Continue reading to see how we will be celebrating this year. 

My father passed away in 2012 and though I have many 'father-figures' in my life that inspire me, no one comes in as the first runner-up other than my husband. He's not just my partner in business but is my best friend. He is the most loving, gentle father to our German shepherd, MaQ and definitely has stepped up with the pawrent duties since the blog has taken off. It's really difficult balancing everything in life, but with him by my side, there's nothing we can't do. I'm truly grateful for his love and support, through it all. And trust me, we've been through A LOT. The end of this month will be 12 years together! Maybe an anniversary post of getting to know us better is in the making? Stay tuned... :)

Whether it’s your brother, friend, co-worker or your own father, let’s toast to the #ULTRADAD who inspire us to live full lives and make better choices. And what better way to celebrate them than on the golf course, grilling in the backyard or just hanging with friends/fam with an ice cold Michelob ULTRA? All of these are simply better together – especially when both are shared with your dad and Michelob ULTRA. What are you doing to celebrate this Father’s Day/Pawther's Day? ✨

LOVE & XX'S, 

SHOP MICHELOB ULTRA BEER

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

What it Takes to Rule an Empire

This post is sponsored by USA Network but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.


A new favorite TV show of ours is Queen of the South. Have you guys seen this series before? If you enjoy strong female leads and empowering, passionate, and action-packed stories, this is definitely a show you'd love! In today's post, I'm sharing what's coming up for Queen of the South and also what it takes to rule an empire. Because it takes one boss lady to another to know how much goes into it, let alone remaining on top. Continue reading for my top three pieces of advice to what I think is key in order to rule an empire.

1. BE UNWILLING TO COMPROMISE

In matters of ruling an empire, I believe the best way is by being pretty savage. Okay... correction: VERY savage. You have to be merciless and cannot have anything get in the way of your goals/ambitions. Many will want your time, will want to use you for their personal gain, will want your attention, but you have to remember that to rule and stay on top, you're not here to be anyone's best friend, and if anyone or anything is going to be standing in the way, you have to make the necessary sacrifices sometimes. This also means no compromises.

2. BETTER DO YOUR HOMEWORK

You think the greatest of anything became that way? Nope. Lots and lots of training, experiences, and more. And then more again. Oh, and let's not forget all the uphill battles along the way to climb your way to the top! You better be ready to give your blood, sweat, and tears... literally! Ha ha!

3. BEING A BIT CRAZY DOESN'T HURT EITHER

One does have to be a little insane to want to rule an empire (of any kind) so I do think it takes someone who's a tiny bit nuts to want to do that. Also, this is all kidding aside, but perhaps someone who is slightly a sociopath would tie in to not just being ruthless, but also having no time for any real human emotion, like remorse, fear, sadness. It's not like it wouldn't hurt or work in favor when it would come to ruling an empire. :)

Queen of the South returns for season 3 and Queenpin/Boss Babe Teresa Mendoza (Alice Braga) is finally on top and has seized the throne. While seasons 1-2 showed us Teresa’s start from the bottom and her rise, season 3 focuses on Teresa becoming Queen of her own drug empire. Although she’s obsessively hunted by Camila (Veronica Falcon), Teresa refuses to hide in a hole, continuing to live the luxurious lifestyle of a Queenpin. No longer the apprentice, Teresa enjoys being boss and the power that comes with it. After experiencing betrayal and heartbreak, she soon realizes the best way to rule is by being ruthless.

Queen of the South premieres Thursday, June 21st at 9/8c and will air each week on Thursdays at 9/8 c!

LOVE & XX'S,

NYC style blog

SHOP THE LOOK

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Our First Q&A Episode

WEARING: AGNES B GREY FRONT BUTTON SHIRT | PERSOL GLASSES

1.jpg

Hey guys! Welcome back to my blog! And to new visitors... welcome and stick around because you're in for a treat today! Since I've started my blog which was roughly two years ago, I get asked a lot of questions about my dog and what life is like in a big city with him. Whether it's in person or on social media, everyone adores my German shepherd, McQueen... or, what most of you guys know him as: MaQ! There were so many questions to narrow it down to due to time constraint and the desire for wanting to keep a few precious moments private such as when and where we met him, why and how. And even though I like to keep that sort of balance within my personal life, I still wanted to share a few fun facts about my partner in crime. So let's take a look, shall we? 

2.jpg

HOW DID HE GET HIS NAME? 

McQueen was named after the devastatingly handsome actor, Steve McQueen. Both carry such a look and are equally charismatic, Steve and I even share the same birthday, so it was only natural to give him such a unique name. We call him 'MaQ' for short because of coined phrases like, "Big Mac" and "Mack Daddy". He is quite big and a total ladies man. :)

HOW OLD IS MAQ?

5. In human years, he's technically 35 but still acts like a kid. Young at heart, I suppose. β€οΈ

3.jpg

FAVORITES?

He just loves to play. If he could have it his way, he'd run me around all day! He's a total ball hog like many GSDs I know, but his favorite game is the toy game, or "identification" game where he can search and find whatever stuffed animal I ask him to go get, and he's got a lot of 'em. I am thinking about doing a video on this because it's just too cute and you'd be impressed with how smart he is on top of how many toys he's spoiled with! 

He also love to eat and share food with us. Yes, I'm guilty as charged and am totally that paw-rent who indulges in feeding her pooch table scraps. I can't help it! I don't want him to feel left out, ha ha! I of course only share with him what's healthy and reasonable. But every once in a while you just gotta go for the carbs. We love to share french fries together and his favorite is pizza crust. I love it too but since having MaQ, I give all my crust to him as if it's some kind of ritual between us.  

He is never without his "security blanket", or rather, his "Natty" girl. It's a plush stuffed animal monkey and I named her after Natalie Wood, who was one of Steve McQueen's ladies back in the day and they were quite the couple! You should see her in the video from this post, Natty was the size of MaQ when I first got him! 

DISLIKES?

Cats. Baths. And the rain. 

4.jpg

DOES MAQ HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?

If you looked this good, would you be with only only person? Ha ha ha! He is a total player! You should see him picking up chicks on our walks... both human and canine! He's got a thing for blonds and leggy women. Hey, can ya blame him? 

DOES MAQ SLEEP WITH YOU IN BED AT NIGHT?

Honestly? No, he and I like to have our own space. I'm the type that likes to cuddle for about 3 minutes and then I'm good. He's the same, ha ha! What he tends to do most at night is keep watch. He's a good ole' boy and protects the house. 

5.jpg

That's it for now! Be sure to come back and see more upcoming Q&A's! Don't forget to watch our episode on YouTube down below and if you have a question you'd like answered about us, leave it in the comment box or find me on social media! Follow me and MaQ on Instagram! Have a great weekend, everyone. We'll see ya back here on Monday! 

6.jpg

OUR FIRST Q&A EPISODE!

Happy Friday, guys! Today's video is our very first Q&A with my partner in crime, my German shepherd dog, McQueen (AKA: MaQ)! After receiving a lot of questions about us from our readers, I thought it was finally time to do a sit down and answer some of them! Click to watch!

LOVE & XX'S, 

maqandsuz_logo.jpg

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

How to Survive NYFW with Dove

Thank you Dove for sponsoring this post.

Hey guys! Today is my last day of NYFW, and as much as I look forward to the madness that ensues during this week, I'm also looking forward to things calming down a bit. This fashion week, I outdid myself and literally burnt out yesterday from running around nonstop with 3-4 hours of sleep per day... I think doing it all by myself from attending the shows and events to documenting everything through photographs and videography (I'm even doing my first fashion week vlog on my YouTube channel this season! Coming soon!) to making it to appointments and meetings and then burning the midnight oil with edits can definitely take a toll on one person. It's a lot. So in today's post, I've partnered with one of my favorite brands of all time, Dove, to share with you guys on how to survive your first fashion week with these simple & healthy tips! 

1. NOURISH YOUR SKIN

3 in 4 dermatologists say that women often damage their skin in the shower, thinking they are caring for it. When it comes to cleansing, all skin deserves gentleness which is why 88% of dermatologists advise women to use a gentle cleanser when showering. Only Dove Body Wash is made with 100% gentle cleansers, is sulfate-free and is the #1 dermatologist recommended body wash. There's no other body wash that I use, I have been swearing by Dove for over a decade! My skin always feels so nourished - why would you want anything but silky smooth skin? You can purchase Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash in many food, drug, mass, value, club and online retailers nationwide - or here as well. 

2. TRY TO EAT RIGHT

Any fashionista knows in order to survive fashion week, you've gotta add some carbs into your diet! But as easy and as delicious as this may sound in the given moment, try to eat things in moderation. Going all out on pizza one night? No need to fret... have a yummy healthy breakfast the following morning to balance your meal intake and to feel less guilty about that extra slice of pepperoni you probably shouldn't have had but the cocktails got to you. Ha ha ha! I'm not a brekkie gal by any means, but this season I've really been watching what I eat before starting long days (we're talking 14+ hrs on some of 'em... eek.) I love smoothie bowls or smoothies in general. I love being able to take my food with me on the go!

3. A LITTLE SPLURGE NEVER KILLED NOBODY

Okay... so this might totally conflict with tip #2, but YOLO, am I right? A little treat like a few macaroons in between shows not only will give you that sugar rush you're probably in desperate need of, but you'll feel great because you've treated yourself to something yummier than leafy greens or quinoa. And treating yourself isn't limited to food either. Splurge on a nice bubble bath (using Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash makes some extra bubbles) if you aren't taking a night off or go on a shopping spree for some much needed retail therapy after coveting all the new collections straight off the runway! Just don't blame me for being a bad 'influence'! ;)

4. CELEBRATE ALONE TIME

As much as I love networking, going out and meeting people and being extra social during fashion week, everyone has their limits. Being a writer, I enjoy my solitude. I've gotten used to being alone a lot, and quite honestly I prefer it this way when it comes to relaxing. I also always feel so guilty when I'm not able to spend as much time with my German shepherd dog, MaQ. He is my fur child and I hate the idea of him being alone while I'm out and about. In between my schedule, I'll either get up extra early to have a nice, long walk with him before being out all day or I'll take an extra hour during the day (or any chance I can get with him) to spend some time with him. Our bond is maaaadddd strong and as much as I'd love to take him with me everywhere I go, it's not the reality of the situation. So instead I improvise and value my time even during one of the busiest work weeks of the year.

Tell me, my fellow fabulous fashionistas: what are some tips you have for surviving fashion week? Whether it be your diet, workout regiment and more, I'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to shop Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash and to leave your comments down below! To see more from my everyday action during NYFW, follow along on my Instagram! I'll be sharing all of my fashion week outfits on the blog on Friday, plus more designers and my first fashion week vlog! Stay tuned, so much new exciting content coming your way in the very near future! 

CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

LOVE & XX'S,

maqandsuz_logo.jpg

SHOP THE PRODUCT

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS