5 Must-See Foodie Shows on Netflix

I'm a Netflix fanatic, as are most of us now-a-days. I'm obsessed with binge-watching shows that catch my interest and lately, I've been a total foodie when it comes to television. I've been trying to discuss some of these awesome shows with friends lately and I've realized that most of them have no idea Netflix even has such a wide variety of cooking/foodie shows. So go ahead an pull up your queue so we can add every single one of these shows to it!

We're going to start off with one of my favorites, although these shows are listed in no particular order.

1. Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives - This show with my main man Guy Fieri has to be one of my favorite shows on Netflix, ever. It makes me want to travel, eat, and just be silly all at the same time! Guy's commentary on the shows and his passion for food are really inspiring and some of the amazing foods he eats are from my area, so that's pretty cool to watch as well! If you are looking for places to stop on a road trip or just looking for foodie traveling destinations, this show is a great way to find hole-in-the-wall places that serve food that will blow your mind!

2. Food Network Star - This super fun show puts you in contact with people who are real, making it a fun way to watch someone who is just a normal person picked to possibly become the next Food Network Star and receive their own tv show. I love watching each of the contestants grow and learning more about food in the process. This show seems like it starts out slow at first but you'll soon fall in love with the contestants! I personally love the judges as well and Giada is an inspiration to me on so many levels. I highly recommend this show for other bloggers as well, it has been helping me learn to describe food in a more appealing way which has been a great educational asset as well.

3. Ace of Cakes Collection - This super fun dessert based show takes you on a journey through Duff Goldman's kitchen, the Ace of Cakes himself. I'm obsessed with all of the creativity in this show and it really inspires me to get my hands dirty, although my one experience with fondant in the past was a total fail... I'll be giving it a try again soon thanks to this show and it's influence over me!

4. The Pioneer Woman - Almost everyone knows of Ree's show, but most people don't know that you can watch 20 episodes of her tv show on Netflix! What I love about Pioneer Woman is that it feels like you are really connecting with Ree, like you are reading her blog or sitting in her kitchen. A personable experience and learning new recipes are how she lures people in and then she hooks you with family stories and her captivating personality! This is one show I highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in cooking and/or food!

5. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - I love this show for every single reason some people hate it. Anthony Bourdain, while he may come off to rude or a know-it-all to some, supplies so much insight into odd culinary experiences that his cynical and sarcastic personality comes off as almost charming in some ways. He's a genius at describing things, when he hasn't had too much to drink, and simply knows how to show a viewer a good time.

Now that I've shared some of my recent Netflix foodie favorites, I'd love to know what you've been watching lately?

Buying a New Car Without The Drama: Show Cars.com Your #NewCarFace and Win Up to $25,000!

Today's discussion about shopping for a new car
& the possibility of winning up to $25,000 to pay off the car loan is sponsored by Cars.com.

Buying a new car is a little bit like getting engaged, having a baby, adopting a dog, or any other huge commitment that requires some maturity and responsibility. Car shopping is a super exciting time in anyone's life, you are making a serious commitment to a loan and your car, you are required to provide maintenance and upkeep, drive responsibly, etc.  You are embarking on a relationship of sorts when you buy a car. Your car relies on you and you on it, so choosing the right car is important.

While buying a new car tends to be a well-thought out process for most, our recent vehicle purchase included my husband signing the papers and driving it off the lot before I even saw the car. I guess you could say we like to do things on a whim, but buying our Kia Soul was the best thing we have ever done and it was completely drama free... Well, hubby dealt with the drama while I was working, so it was drama-free for me at least (next time we'll use Cars.com to avoid the drama entirely)!

It may sound silly but since this was our first "big purchase" as adults, we both were feeling a bit giddy. He practically jumped out of the car as he pulled up, stumbled over his words as he showed me all the awesome new features, and after I looked the new little cutie over for a while we hopped in and took our first short little trip to the beach. Our car blends into our lives perfectly.

Well, any car would suffice I suppose... but I love our car! Our Kia Soul is cute and it fits who we are and what we like to do. It's a car that we can take with us from beach to beach without worrying about gas mileage, it holds our 13 foot kayak on the rooftop with ease, and this little baby can even go off-roading when we want to spend time doing yoga at our favorite secluded beach spot. What more could this beach bunny ask for?

Whether you are playing "soccer mom" to a house full of kids or roadtripping around the country and exploring what this great nation has to offer, your car is what you rely on to get you where you need to be. When choosing a new car you want something reliable, that's a great deal, that also fits your lifestyle, and Cars.com can help you find that!

Cars.com takes the drama out of the new car shopping experience, helping you breathe a little easier... But I bet you didn't know they are taking the drama out of your car loan as well, by giving away up to $25,000 towards your new car in the #NewCarFace Contest!

You can enter to win The NewCarFace Contest via twitter, instagram, or facebook. You'll simply need to upload a photo of you, your totally awesome new car face, and your new car! I've shared a few examples today and here's one of the hubby practicing yoga with his Soul... haha. Get it?

Be sure to use the hashtag #newcarface and don't forget to tag Cars.com (@CarsDotCom) directly in your post as well! If you are entering via facebook, make a post directly on their facebook wall with the hashtag for your entry to be valid!

What's your New Car Face look like
and will it win you $25,000 to help pay off your new car loan?

And here's some legal stuff: You can only submit one entry during the promotional period. Need to know more about the rules? You can click here to find some inspiration and check out all the details. Open to legal US residents (excluding MD, NJ, & TN), must be 18+ and hold a qualifying vehicle loan or lease. Contest ends 4/17/2015 at 12pm CST. Prize will be valued up to $25k. Subject to the Official Rules, including eligibility criteria, and qualifiying vehicle restrictions. Sponsored by Cars.com, a division of Classified Venture, LLC. Just FYI, a new car is considered a new (or used) car bought or leased on or after 1/1/2012.

This Land Is My Land, This Land Is #OurLand - Support Local Parks and Wild Life with The Trust for Public Land

I have a passion for nature and our land. While this post is sponsored by The Trust for Public Land, thoughts and feelings expressed below are all my own.

I moved to St. Petersburg, Florida a few years ago on a whim after falling in love with the city while helping a family member relocate and I absolutely love it here still. The beaches are obviously part of the reason I decided to live here; but I have to be honest, one of my absolute favorite things about this area is all the parks and nature preserves! In Pinellas County alone, we have over 20,000 acres of land dedicated to parks and preserves - a decent amount for the most densely populated county in Florida.

With so many parks and so much wildlife sitting just outside the busy city life that we all must be a part of, I have to admit we spend quiet a bit of time exploring nature. We love going to the local parks and just being. Whether we decide to study for school, practice yoga, take the dogs for a walk, practice our photography skills - it doesn't matter, it feels nice connecting with nature.

Hubs and I even spent an afternoon this past weekend exploring parks on the opposite coast of Florida as part of celebrating our anniversary, it's something we both enjoy doing so it was fun to visit several parks along the coast and see what they all had to offer. This isn't something new for us though, we tend to make it a point to visit at least one park in any city we visit, because we love nature so much.

We even stop at parks, instead of rest stops, most of the time when roadtripping. It's nice to get out of the car for a bit when we do this, plus we get to see all kinds of different parks in different environments - like this gorgeous stop we made in North Carolina.

I have dreams of visiting some of the more famous parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, etc. I'm sure we'll head that direction eventually but for now I'll enjoy everything my local parks have to offer - from preserves on islands you can only access via ferry to bird towers soaring above the trees, the parks around here have plenty for me to explore!

Today I'm sharing my passion for my local parks to show my support for The Trust for Public Land. We believe everyone should have a healthy connection to nature through nearby parks, working lands, and wild places. Since 1972, The Trust for Public Land has protected 3 million acres and completed more than 5,000 park and conservation projects!

Despite all the land they've saved, the fact is, open space in America is disappearing at a rate of 6,000 acres a day! If we continue to allow our land to be destroyed, we aren't leaving much land for future generations to enjoy.

Something needs to change, we can't keep ignoring this problem. Together we all can reverse this decline – for the health of our families, our communities, and our future. It's our right to protect the beauty that our nation has to offer.

You may think it's too difficult to help, but it's not difficult at all. You can help protect our precious lands and keep this land #OurLand easily. Click here to share why nature matters to you with The Trust for Public Land by making a postcard like the one shown above. Need to get inspired before you create one of your own? Check out the video below and then click on over to share your story so you can help protect the places you love.

This land is my land, This land is #OurLand!

All About The Benjamins Giveaway - $100 Shell Fuel #HighValueHop {ends 11/17}

Welcome to The All About The Benjamins Giveaway Hop

November 1-17

Hosted by MamaNYC

Can you believe it's November already? I can't, maybe because this year is just flying by... which means Christmas is coming quickly as well! I'm so excited to have teamed up with a fantastic group of bloggers, we're bringing all of our readers a rockin' giveaway hop that will feature prizes valued at $100+ for every single winner!

Now let's get to the good part:

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed that I went on a fantastic little road trip last month to see family. We drove all the way from our little suburb in Florida to North Carolina to visit my husband's brother and sister and both of their families.

The road trip was fun over all, but I learned that I get bored when there isn't much to look at... and that I much prefer a road trip where we take the time to stop and walk around and explore things vs. just "straight-shooting" to our destination. I also learned that if you're really bored in the car and you are an artist, you'll find a way to make art... You can view my abstract creations made with my D-SLR while being deliriously bored on the road late at night below.

But what I really learned on this trip is that family time is invaluable. I learned that laughing with my family and feeling a bond knowing that we share more than just a last name is the best joy in life. I love hearing stories about when they were young, listening to them recap huge family milestones and hilarious mishaps. All while making new memories watching the babies of the family run around, these are the moments in life that really matter. Hanging out with the twin babies, going to the renaissance fair, watching the oldest get creative, petting some wild animals at the drive-thru zoo, getting a beginner's education about natural healing and essential oils - this road trip was an incredible experience full of so much fun packed into just a few quick days.

Road trips, family memories, days spent driving around the family - it's all fun.. and something we all need to have fun and go on road trips is fuel for our vehicles, right? Well, almost everyone needs this commodity and lucky for one lucky reader I'll be giving away a $100 Shell Gift Card to help one lucky reader fuel their fun this holiday season. Whether you need the gas for an upcoming road trip over the holidays to see family or to run errands to make sure your family has everything for Turkey Day, I'm here to make one readers pocket a little fuller this holiday season by treating them to a full tank, a few times.

Enter to win the $100 Shell Gift Card using the giveaway tools form below:

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I may have received one or more of the products mentioned above or compensation to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through November 17th at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win.  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not the party held responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes.

Wanting to win something else awesome?
Check out my Xoundstar Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Giveaway!

Be sure to enter all of the great other giveaways listed below:

Unexpected Adventures: Learn, Explore, and Grow Together #TargetWedding #Sponsored

Photo, Product and/or other value provided by our partner, Target. Regardless, all opinions are my own.

Traveling has always been a favorite activity for hubby and I. Although, we haven't even come close to visiting every where on our "Bucket List", we are beyond thankful for the vacations we have taken together and look forward to many, many more!

We've road tripped across the southern half of the country in a car without air conditioning in the sizzling hot southern summer heat (then we came home to Florida and bought a brand new car the same week because we realized how crazy that was).

We've journeyed on a whim to the Space Coast in the middle of a tropical storm just to eat our favorite meal from our favorite restaurant.

We've spent hours stuck in a Mexican Police Department after a fender-bender in Cozumel. I had to play the hero that day, which left me traveling the backstreets of the town by myself to retrieve funds that would ultimately save hubby from what could have been. Talk about a crazy trip!

We've nearly been attacked by some mysterious growling and snarling creature in the middle of the night while camping near a lake in Oklahoma.

We've hiked to the top of Mayan pyramids and looked out over a jungle, seeing nothing but ridiculously huge and beautiful handmade structures nearby and miles and miles of lush green tree tops all around us.

We've walked the streets of Las Vegas on my 21st birthday in the middle of the night giggling and gambling, hoping for a big win.

We've spent the night cuddled together in the backseat of our car "camping" in the middle of no where because I was too scared to really "camp out" after seeing bear crossing and panther crossing road signs near by.

We've stayed in haunted hotels and driven through zoos on random road trips to Arkansas. We've even gotten up close and personal with some emus, fed some llamas, talked closely with some buffalo, and interacted with all kinds of other crazy animals.

We've taken so many trips I can't even begin to recap them all, traveling together is something I hope we do forever. I hope when we have children they will be able to experience the world with us. We've both developed a pretty good case of "wanderlust", we both can't wait to do more learning, exploring, and growing together. Traveling with that guy is full of adventure; Life with this guy is full of adventure.

Marriage is truly all about the experiences and the adventures you share, the fun memories you create while just simply experiencing life together - the good days and the bad, the days full of joy and the days full of worry, it's about sticking together through everything. Weddings should truly be about celebrating your life together forever and so should every item in your registry! Making a registry at Target that includes all the items you'll need for your life and adventures together is a really fun part of getting married, but obviously it is not what "getting married' is all about. Gaining the title of "husband and wife" and obtaining the marriage certificate is great but having your best friend by your side forever, for everything is the best. Learning to make everyday an adventure is the key to our marriage success; exploring this big wide world together is my favorite activity with my husband - whether we are just running to the farmer's market together or paddling around the ocean in a kayak or even taking a cruise to Alaska (hello, bucket list) I love spending time just being with him.

When Target asked me to share our most memorable trip together, I had trouble choosing which vacation to write about...They all have been full of adventure and excitement, some more than others...  Ultimately, I decided to share more about our most recent trip, just a little staycation-esque vacay to Miami in March. Although it's so close to where we currently reside, the whole trip was such an amazing experience! The hotel stay and flight were taken care of by a local radio station and I'm so incredibly lucky to have won their giveaway! The luxury resort they booked us was immaculate. The views of the beach from our balcony in our high rise room were breathtaking!

From the moment our plane landed in Miami it felt as though we were in a different country; it's a beautiful place but it has a huge Cuban element to it that I wasn't expecting, although I absolutely embraced it. I just wish I would have used Rosetta Stone in Spanish before we left - I was a little lost when we asked for directions from the car rental guy and he started speaking in Spanish.

We landed around lunch time, so after driving around in circles in the parking garage a few times (yes, we were THAT couple. haha.) we went and grabbed a bite to eat in Downtown Miami, then we set our GPS to head towards The Keys and off we went. A little impromptu road trip simply because we had time to waste until we could check in to our hotel and because why not? I love that hubby comes up with fun ideas like this, how cool is it that this is the guy I will spend every day of my life with? *swoon* We made the drive to Key Largo in about an hour, the views were incredible. I loved watching the water fly by as we drove along the long bridge. After getting to Key Largo, we spent some time at a local park and saw a sting ray swimming just a few feet away from the rocks we were playing on. I'm sad to say it was a bit windy on the day we visited so we decided not to get in the water, maybe next time!

After spending time exploring the park, we were ready for a bite to eat and a cocktail or two. We saw  Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill on the side of the road and decided to pop in. I ordered a Key Lime Colada and I have to share with the world: This is The BEST cocktail, ever - really though, EVER. I could rave on and on about it, but instead I'll just suggest that ANYONE visiting Key Largo stop in and have one!

Then it was already time to head to the hotel! Once we made it into our room, we immediately walked out onto the balcony. Although it was dark, it was still so breathtakingly beautiful. The moon was glowing over the top of the ocean, leaving a glimmer along every inch of the water with the breeze blowing ever so slightly. The sound of a steel drum being played poolside slightly drifting up towards our room and the lights of the color-shifting pool illuminating the edges of the palm trees. Needless to say, it was a heavenly stay and we slept with our doors open every single night of the trip - no need for air conditioning with a cool breeze from the ocean. (I'm sitting here day dreaming about the trip as I type this, can I just go back right now - please?)

The next few days in Miami were filled with fun exploring the city. We spent several hours sunbathing on local beaches. We took a nice walk around a Spanish monastery. We tried out several new foods and even developed an addiction to Cuban espresso. We listened to some awesome jazz music. We shopped, we dined, we drank, and giggled until our hearts were content. It was fun simply enjoying time together. That's what being married is all about after all, enjoying every adventure, every minute, every second together - no matter where you are.

Target also wanted me to share a few of my favorite travel essentials. If you're tying the knot soon you'll want to snag these items up as gifts to yourself or add them to your registry.

I highly recommend a D-SLR camera, having great pictures of your adventures is important! The Canon EOS Rebel T5I is a great model, I'm personally a Nikon user but playing with the Canon in stores has me thinking about making a switch! You can definitely tell the difference between my cell phone pictures and the D-SLR pictures above. The SwissGear City Pack is also a great travel item, the perfect bag for both you and hubby to take turns carrying all the goods you'll need for your adventures. The Coleman 10 person Instant Cabin Tent is the answer to a girl's "glam" camping dream - the perfect compromise to get a girly, girl to go camping. Maybe you plan to travel internationally? You might want to try Rosetta Stone, it'll help you brush up on your foreign language skills. Don't forget a cool passport cover for both of you as well! You'll obviously want some great pieces of luggage and these perfectly fitting luggage tags to keep them safe and stylish! Head on over to the Target Wedding registry to start adding to yours!


  In case you need some $$$ to get ahead of the game on your registry,
I've teamed up with Target to bring my readers a $25 Gift Card giveaway.

Please use the giveaway tools form below to enter to win:

Entry-Form

Disclaimer: I received compensation, or one or more of the products mentioned above, to facilitate my review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.This contest will run through August 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Must be 18 years or older to win.  This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook, Twitter or any other company mentioned above. You understand that you are providing your information to Lauren Paints | a beautiful life and not to Facebook, I will not use your information other than to e-mail you a winning notification if you are the chosen winner. Enter using the Giveaway Tools form above. Void Where Prohibited. Please note that Lauren Paints | a beautiful life is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. If you would like to be a sponsor of future giveaways, please contact me at laurenpaintsflorida@gmail.com.