Essentials By Mandi

Took baby girl for her first concert! Sombr puts on a great show!

Some people come into your life through work and end up leaving a little piece of themselves in your heart. ❤️

I had the sweetest surprise delivered from a former client who moved away, and I honestly don’t even have the words to express how much this touched me.

She and I always had the BEST time together! So much laughter, so many conversations, and just the sweetest connection. I have missed her so much since she moved away.

When she heard about losing my daddy, she went out of her way to send me this beautiful, thoughtful gift. 🥹💐

What makes it so special isn’t just the flowers or the goodies. It’s knowing that even miles away, someone was thinking of me during one of the hardest times of my life.

Grief has a way of making the smallest acts of kindness feel enormous, and this one meant more than she could ever know.

Thank you, sweet friend, for remembering me, loving on me from afar, and reminding me that some connections never fade, no matter the distance.

I miss you and our crazy, fun times together! You truly touched my heart. ❤️

A little throwback to my modeling days in NYC and Italy the ’90s and with Click Models Atl in 2012! 📸💃🏼

I found an old post where I said, “Bring on the Geritol ads!” 😂

Well, 14 years later, I’ve officially graduated to the Depends demographic! 🤣

And for the record, I wouldn’t turn down a glamorous grandma commercial! 💁🏼‍♀️😂

Hey, beauty has no expiration date… and neither does a paycheck! 💰🤣

That one time I decided bangs were a good idea… ✂️😂

Because apparently when a woman needs a change, the first thing she thinks about is her HAIR! 💁🏼‍♀️🤣

I loved them… for about 5 minutes. Then reality set in. I absolutely could NOT stand having hair in my face! 🤦🏼‍♀️

So began the long journey of growing them back out… again!

Fast forward to now, and I’m actually learning to love the longer, side-swept version. A little softer, a little more manageable, and most importantly… NOT hanging in my eyeballs! 😂

The older I get, the more I realize some things are better left alone… especially scissors near my forehead! ✂️🤣

Tell me I’m not the only one who’s had a love-hate relationship with bangs! 👇🏼

WomenOver50 AgelessBeauty BlondeHair SideSweptBangs MidlifeHumor EssentialsByMandi

Craving Italian tonight, but trying to skip the big bowl of pasta… so Eggplant Parmesan it was! 🍆🧀🍅

And I’m telling you—this felt like a CHEAT MEAL. 😂 Crispy eggplant, marinara, all that bubbly, golden cheese… I did not feel deprived one bit.

That’s something I’m learning while losing weight: you don’t have to stop eating the foods you love—you just have to find a version that still satisfies the craving. ❤️

Was it the lightest thing on the menu? Nope. 😂 But I skipped the pasta, enjoyed every bite, and walked away feeling like I had a big Italian splurge without completely throwing my goals out the window. Better choices don’t have to be boring choices. 🙌

That one time I decided to go RED… ❤️🔥😂

And not just a little red. I apparently woke up and said, “Give me ALL the red.” 🤣

I had completely forgotten about this hair era until I found these pictures, and now I need to know… WHAT WAS I THINKING?! 😂

Although, I have to admit… looking back at it now, I kind of loved it. ❤️ It was bold, it was fun, and apparently I was very committed to matching my hair to my level of sass. 😂

Would you have told me to KEEP THE RED ❤️ or GO BACK BLONDE 💛?

And the bigger question… should red-haired Mandi EVER make a comeback? 👀🔥

ThrowbackThursday HairMemories WhatWasIThinking ShouldIBringItBack EssentialsByMandi

Okay, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Dates are SO GOOD. 🤎🥜🍫 But of course my first thought was… I can make these at home! 😂

And I can make them with less added sugar and a lighter peanut-butter filling.

My Homemade Chocolate PB Dates:
• Medjool dates
• PB2 powdered peanut butter
• Water
• Tiny pinch of sea salt
• Lily’s sugar-free chocolate chips, melted
• Optional: ½–1 tsp honey if you want the PB2 a little sweeter

Mix the PB2 with just enough water to make it thick and creamy. Add a pinch of salt and a tiny drizzle of honey if desired.

Split and pit your dates, stuff them with the PB2 mixture, then dip or drizzle with melted Lily’s chocolate. Finish with a little flaky sea salt and refrigerate until the chocolate sets. 😍

Dates naturally contain sugar, so these aren’t sugar-free—but using PB2 and Lily’s keeps the added sugar much lower than a traditional candy treat.

Chocolate + peanut butter + that chewy caramel-like date = SO GOOD. 🤎

I’m definitely making these next!

MedjoolDates LowerSugar HealthyDessert ChocolatePeanutButter EasyHealthyRecipes SweetTooth

That one time I flirted with the zoo owner so he’d let me feed the big cats… 😂🐅

It worked. 😏
What I DIDN’T understand was that when you hand a tiger a steak, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO LET GO OF THE STEAK. 🤦🏼‍♀️😂

Almost lost a hand.
Zero regrets.
Loved every single second of it. 😂

I have ALWAYS loved big cats. Give me the chance to get this close to a tiger and apparently all common sense leaves my body. 🐅❤️

Would you have done it?!

CrazyMemories BucketListMoment EssentialsByMandi