Song of the Week - Love In Motion (feat. Mayer Hawthorne)

happy first monday of august!  where has the summer gone?!

 

i know that i have been MIA lately, but work and life has been keeping me busy and on my toes!  i have missed blogging as a release for my brain, and am hoping that i will be able to be back on her on a regular basis.  but sometimes things come up that cause you to push pause your hobbies, take in all the things around you and then return to normal and push play. 

 

that said, i had to share this awesome song that is just perfect for the last few weeks of summer.  sebastian's "love in motion" is so good!  it's a little bit 80's, dance worthy and has just a hint of prince to it.  and i LOVE it!

 

be sure to add it to your next summer bbq or road trip playlist for guaranteed smiles and cheers!

Song of the Week: #Beautiful

i have a total love/hate relationship with mariah carey.  the hate meter has been in the full mode for almost ten years now.  gone were the gold old mariah days, replaced with the emancipation of mimi (no thank you) and other crappy songs. 

however, my hate meter of mariah is currently at an all time low, as i am IN LOVE with her latest song "#beautiful" (although really, wtf is up with the hahtag business)?  maybe it's because it's a duet with miguel, maybe it's because it has an old school vibe to it, or maybe it's because mariah cut all the crap finally and just sings great lyrics they way she used to. 

whatever the reason may be, i love this song.  it's pretty and makes me smile and wanna sway side to side in my car with sun shining down in through the sun roof. 

perfect summer jam. 

Best Brush Ever!

 

no seriously.  this little guy is amazeballs. 

 

i have super fine hair that is a pain in the butt to comb out when i get out of the shower.  so much so that i don't brush my hair ever. 

 

for reals.  i only brush my hair when i get out of the shower.  and even then i don't actually brush it, i just comb it and it usually takes a some time and results in a loss of a lot of hair and a bit of a sore head (and god knows how many broken hairs). 

 

so imagine my delight when my new hairdresser ashley worked this nifty weird gadget through my hair in a matter of seconds (all while it massaged my head).  i immediately asked what the hell was that.  and she informed me it was called the "tangle teezer" and it was great on all types of hair, wet or dry. 

 

i was of course sold and ready to purchase only to find out that they are kind of hard to track down (i should have ordered online).  a few weeks ago i found this sparkly brush at barrington court health & beauty supply and couldn't wait to try it out at home...turns out it works just as well at home as it did in the salon! 

 

it does sometimes make me feel like i am brushing a horses tail due to the shape and sound, but i promise you, this brush is life changing!  it's the perfect brush for summer beach days, or everyday shower days!

Song of the Week: Sweater Weather

i cannot stop groovin' to the neighbourhood's "sweater weather".  it gets me in the mood for summer (i realize spring has just sprung) and makes me want to cruise down the pch with my sunroof open and watching the waves crash by.  

The Big Move...

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we found a place!  the lease is signed!  the keys are in our hands!  the move in date is tomorrow (don't worry, i haven't packed a single box yet)! 

 

and without further ado, i'd like to introduce you to our new abode in brentwood! 

 

entry way, kitchen (new fridge being delivered thursday), living room looking out

 

i am oh so excited for the hardwood floors, exploring my new fun neighborhood, the gorgeous kitchen, new bathroom and living with b. 

 

with my excitement comes a little bit of anxiety.  i lived with a boy before, things didn't end up so well.  living with a significant other is a big step, not to be taken lightly.

 

and believe me i am not.  playing house sounds like a lot of fun, but i know that there will be difficult times as well, and that frightens me.  not enough to make me back out, but enough that i need to tell myself to calm down and remember all the reasons i am excited that we are moving in together.

 

which include:  not having to pack an overnight bag, being co-dog parents, more time together and because it is the right next step for us. 

 

so while i am sure there will be some ups and downs, i am most looking forward to the ups and for the new change. 

 

hello home sweet home!

Rodan + Fields Redefine Regimen Review

last december my gf stacie sent me some rodan + fields products to try.  i have only heard wonderful things about this beauty line and was excited to get to try it out for two weeks for free! 

 

after stacie and i determined my skin problems and goals, we decided on the redefine system to best address my goals.  this system is focused on reducing the appearance of lines, pores and loss of firmness.  growing up in seattle and being fair skinned has helped a bit with my aging and i feel very blessed to have the skin i do, but as i am creeping past 33, i am noticing the lines are getting a little deeper, my pores a little more noticeable and just a loss of daily glow. 

 

stacie sent me over a two week supply of the redefine regimen, the micro-dermabrasion paste and the lip micro-dermabrasion. 

 

 

i must admit, i am a dial hand soap as face wash kind of girl and besides moisturizer don't really dabble too much into systems or regimens for my face. 

 

the redefine regimen begins with the daily cleansing mask which is a thick white clay based cleanser that you apply as a mask for two minutes and then wash off.  the mask provides a little extra exfoliation and worked best for me in the shower.  in full honesty the two minute wait is a bit much for me in the morning, as i like to get in and get out. 

 

the pore minimizing toner (conveniently labeled 2) was the next step and i really enjoyed this product.  while i cannot attest that i saw a difference i did enjoy that it is alcohol free and left my skin feeling fresh. 

 

step 3 in the am is the triple defense treatment which i absolutely adored.  it provided great coverage, spf 30 and a light scent that was not overwhelming.  it was light and non-greasy and made my skin feel smooth and ready for my daily makeup.  in the pm i used the overnight restorative cream and again, i absolutely loved this product.  my skin felt moisturized and smooth and when i woke up my skin looked more refreshed then usual and ultra soft. 

 

twice a week i used the micro-dermabrasion paste in the shower or sunday night before the week to feel my freshest.  a little goes a long way with this product which left my skin feeling oh so soft and smooth which i LOVED!  it's gritty and really leaves you with a clean slate for the week.  dare i say my skin even looked a little brighter?

 

a few of my friends refer to my lips as "pillow lips" a nickname i would like to keep and take very seriously.  the lip micro-dermabrasion was one of my favorites as it was so easy to use and left my lips oh so pillowy and soft.  see ya dry flaky lips. 

 

 

my favorite product stacie sent over however, were the night renewing serum capsules.  one of my favorite things about these capsules is that they are pre-measured so you can't mess it up!  you use just the right amount every time and these babies most definitely had me seeing results fast.  i could absolutely notice an extra glow to my skin after using them as well as my lines looking a little less deep and my skin a lot smoother.  the serum is light but covers fantastically and made me feel like i received a little facial over night. 

 

i want to thank stacie for letting me try out the system and i am definitely planning to order the night renewing serum capsules again.  rodan + fields just released the macro exfoliator that sold out so quickly and sheds 5 million dead skin cells in one five minute treatment!  see ya dead skin! 

 

as we age and expose our skin to all those yucky toxins out there, it is ever so important to make sure you create your own beauty regimen to keep your skin looking its very best.  r + d has created some amazing products to assist you at home at very reasonable prices.  if you are looking to start now (and you should) reach out to my girl stacie and figure out the right regimen for you! 

Aqua Leather Peplum

 

this amanda uprichard martini strapless leather peplum top kills me.

 

i mean could there be a more perfect spring sexy top? 

 

yes please.

 

 

 

Song Of The Week: I Love It

i love it.  no really i love the song "i love it". 

i first heard it on perhaps the best episode of girls ever and immediately downloaded it the next day for our trip to vegas.  and wouldn't you just know that this very song played at the club we went out at and i was as happy as a clam. 

besides going out and dancing, this song is another excellent gym jam.  i just run on the treadmill and completely lose track of time for the 3 minutes it is on. 

i love it.

Happy V*Day!

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hope your day is full of hugs and hearts!

 

xoxo

 

 

Forever Frugal Friday

 

this flared scuba dress will be mine. 

 

i saw it a few weeks back when i bought my new fave peplum top and wanted to buy it but was trying to stay focused.  however, i have thought about this dress at least five times since, and it is such a steal of a deal, i am not sure why i am still hesitating .

 

the color is gorgeous and the fabric is soft and provides great coverage.  perfect little early edition to my spring wardrobe i think...

Forever Frugal Friday

 

how are we all feeling about the peplum trend?  still a fan or want to move on?

 

me personally, still a fan.  which is why i encourage all of you that do like the peplum trend to order this knit peplum top from forever 21.  it's under $15 and i have already received no joke 10 compliments on it 3 of which were from complete strangers. 

 

you can't see in the picture but it has a cute zipper back and works lovely with my new factory brass-plated crystal necklace that i received yesterday from jcrew. 

 

this top is perfect to dress up or down and is soft and comfortable.  what more could you want?

Song of the Week ~ Sweet Nothing

florence welch + calvin harris = sweet nothings in my ears. 

oh me oh my how i adore this song.  it is not surprising considering i love both the artists on their own, but putting them together is just pure genius. 

fantastic gym jam and overall spirit lifter, let this sweet nothing into your life immediately!

Holiday Party Time...Rent the Runway Style

i have been dying to try rent the runway for my next big event and finally had the opportunity for my company holiday party. 

 

the dress code was cocktail, so i new i wanted to go short, and for the longest time i have been wanting to wear an all sequin dress. 

 

enter the mark & james by badgley mischka mini sequin pixie dress 

 

 

after searching their endless supply of amazing dresses, and reading numerous reviews i decided to order the dress in an xs and s.  my event was on the 8th and i received my dress on the 7th. 

 

only problem was that i only received one dress instead of the two i ordered (they always give you one extra size free).  i glanced at the size xs and was a little nervous that i would have to do some last minute shopping. 

 

lucky for me, the size xs fit like a glove. 

 

(i should mention that rtr did email me on the 6th (and i missed the email) that they would only be shipping the xs as there was an issue with getting the s)

 

off to the party b and i went and let me just say the dress was a hit!  i loved dancing in it and it was definitely a conversation starter! 

 

i opted to go with a "sock bun" top knot, simple eyes and bold lips which i think complimented the dress even more. 

 

we had such a great time that we forgot to take more pictures (or a full length shot) and at the end of the night i didn't want to give the dress back! 

 

but back into the pre-addressed stamped envelope it went and i bid adieu to all the fun memories the dress provided. 

 

although my rent the runway experience wasn't perfect, it was pretty damn close and i will most definitely be renting in the near future again! 

 

be sure to check out rent the runway for your next event...perhaps some more sparkly goodness for new years?

Rent It ~ Moonrise Kingdom

 

it has been awhile since i watched a movie that had me smiling from ear to ear the entire time.  moonrise kingdom was beautiful to watch, had an incredible soundtrack and reminded me of my youth.  first loves, rebelling against your parents and camping.  pure fun. 

 

with the four day weekend ahead, i highly recommend renting...heck even buying this flick.  it will not disappoint (unless you absolutely hate wes anderson flicks - then perhaps you should skip it). 

 

here's a sneak peek of what to expect...

 

 

amazing.

  (also my favorite gif to describe how i am feeling about this short week and thanksgiving!)

 

have you seen it yet?  what did you think?  love or hate?  i think i may be adding it to my christmas wishlist.

Forever Frugal Friday

 

 looking through my closet recently i noticed a few things...

*i have been very frugal with my clothing purchases

*i think i buy more workout attire than normal clothes

*i need to add red, pink, and blue into my wardrobe more

* i need to buy new jeans

*i lack polka dots

which is why this polka dot raglan sweater is the perfect piece for me to add as it is both work friendly and weekend friendly. plus every time i see someone wearing polka dots i get jealous that i have not incorporated any into my fashions as of late.

what's your closet lacking?

Drug Store Beauty Booty

 

1 ~ got2b rockin it encore fresh dry shampoo

i have never used the got2b products before and kind of find them a bit gimmicky.  i was forced to try this dry shampoo as it was the only option at the grocery store and i was in dire need of some.  well my friends, turns out jokes on me, because not only is this stuff totally cheap but it always totally works and makes your hair smell amazing.  it isn't the best dry shampoo i have ever used but i much prefer it over the dove and suave dry shampoos. 

 

2 ~ clean clear morning burst skin brightening scrub

this goodie was recommended to me by mr. b himself.  when we were home in may for the young wedding my parents had this in their shower and b kept raving about how much he liked it.  so i thought i'd surprise him with a tube of it at my house.  well wouldn't you just know that it turns out i quite enjoy it myself as well!  the scent is incredible and it really does do a lovely job of exfoliating and leaving your skin clean and clear and under control!

 

3 ~ maybelline color show nail color "green with envy"

i kept seeing this color at the drug store and picking it up and then putting it back because i needed another nail polish color like i needed  a hole in the head, but it turns out that i did need this color for the wedding i attended in september!  the color is very similar to the essie "mint candy apple" but a lot less goopy.  it required two coats (like most polishes) and lasted at least 3 days without chipping.  i received many compliments on the color and will definitely be exploring the other colors in the collection for my next special event. 

 

4 ~ garnier fructis body boost conditioner

i have extremely fine hair that is so easily weighed down.  finding the right shampoo and conditioner is down right difficult.  i usually stick with the bumble & bumble thickening products but always require a little extra conditioner for my ends and don't want to waste the expensive stuff on that.  i recently purchased this conditioner for less than $4 and i absolutely love it!  it has a lovely scent and leaves my ends soft, straight and healthy.  in fact since i started using it, people have complimented me on my hair a lot more frequently. 

 

THE FAIL

 

organix nutritional acai berry avocado shampoo

after raving last post about organix coconut conditioner, i figured i would absolutely love their acai berry avocado shampoo which smelled wonderful.  wrong.  i have pretty normal hair, neither oily nor dry, but when i began using this shampoo i noticed my hair looked really flat, dry and dull.  not at all what the bottle promised.  i also felt as though i had to use a lot of the shampoo to get my hair clean.  not a fan at all.  after about two weeks it was back to bumble and bumble and my hair has been a lot happier. 

The Smells of Fall

 

i have fought the arrival of fall long enough!  it is now time to embrace the crisp air and warm fall scents! 

 

my mom and dad ever so kindly sent me two incredible candles from bath and body works to welcome in fall.  i lit up the sweet cinnamon pumpkin (apparently no longer available on line - check in stores) for the first time on tuesday night and my roomie came home and said it smelled like thanksgiving in our house - success! 

 

above are some of my fave fall holiday scents (don't worry, there will be a winter holiday set come december).  i also would like to mention that although a candle is the obvious and easiest way to incorporate fall smells into your life, might i also recommend trying out a soap while you are at? 

 

1 ~ voluspa three-wick tin in winesap apple spice

i first received this yummy candle from boeing at work and it makes you crave a hot apple cider (spiked for me please) and the coziest socks you find. 

 

2 ~ anti-bacterial sweet cinnamon pumpkin

i am not a big advocate of anti-bacterial soaps (i believe they weaken your immune system) but after smelling the candle i just couldn't pass on a bottle of it.  i put it in my center console of my car for post workouts, gas pumps and any other yuckies that i may come across.

 

3 ~ williams-sonoma essential oils dish soap spiced chestnut

if you have been following this blog, you may recall this is my fave scent ever.  and while i usually just savor the candle, i was introduced to the dish soap and let me just tell you, doing holiday dishes is a whole lot easier if this delightful fragrance tickles your nose.

 

4 ~ NEST candle pumpkin chai

now this one i have actually never had the pleasure of smelling, but it is high on my list to find since pumpkin and chai are two of my favorite scents.  adding them together can only mean one thing - holy goodness. 

 

5 ~ White Barn 3-Wick Candle Leaves

the second candle my mom and dad treated me to and it is another goodie (my roomie perfers this to the pumpkin scent).  i can't quite describe the scent other than it smells like walking your dog when it is chilly outside at about 5 pm.  does that make sense?

 

6 ~ ILLUME heirloom pumpkin ceramic candle

oh this candle brings sweet memories of christy and this past weekend in san francisco with carebear.  not only did illume master the scent factor but they really stepped it up a notch and provided a beautiful holder that requires no removing of stickers or hiding a label, just pretty gold and fall tones.  winner.

 

so that's it.  my fave scents for fall!  and just a tip, if you can't wait for your scents to arrive at home, your local grocer should carry the pumpkin maple scent in a variety of items for very reasonable prices.  no excuses! 

 

i would love to know your favorite fall scented home good...what's missing from my list?

Red Carpet Rundown ~ Emmy's 2012

i'm back from jury duty!  nothing makes you more grateful to return to work than a day of jury duty. blech.

 

the emmy's came and went and overall i found myself rather bored with the award show.  i wasn't bored however, by the fashion!  i loved the bright colors, daring necklines and body hugging dresses. 

 

below are my winners and my one major loser of the night.

 

(all photos here)

 

i loved the abundence of sweetheart necklines that appeared on the red carpet.  whether it was zooey's beautiful periwinkle reem acra dress, padma's incredible fiery orange monique lhuillier or julianne hough's george hobeika mermaid gown the laides have never looked prettier!  i am still not 100% sure but i think, padma was my favorite look of the night.

 

 

another ever present guest on the red carpet were some plunging necklines.  kat dennings really wowed me in her j mendel gown - i mean she looks just gorgeous!  while i still don't know who moreno baccarin is, she definitely made me take notice in this basil soda gown.  the color, the neckline the bodice, just incredible.  and then came miss heidi klum, either a hit or miss often in my book was most definitely a hit in this seafoam gown that left little to the imagination. 

 

i am always a sucker for glimmer, shimmer and gold on the red carpet.  i mean talk about the event to sport all of those trends.  kerry washington is always flawless and this vivienne westwood did not disappoint.  when guilana interviewed her she was just radiant and oh so lovely.  my shocker of the evening...edie falco in stella mccartney.  the girl has never looked better and the gold belt just made her look so tiny!  i just think lucy liu is about the cutest and i loved her mirrored, metal versace gown which must have been so heavy to wear on her little frame.  when she presented on stage she looked like liquid metal and i loved it!

 

i didn't have too many absolute hate looks for the night but i did feel real bad for lena dunham and whomever let her walk out the door in this prada number...

 

i literally cringed at the screen when i saw her in this as i makes her look so big and dumpy.  i mean the dress does NOTHING for her figure and for such a bright star and her first emmy debut, this look just really failed big time for me.  here's hoping she speaks to a stylist stat (might i recommend brad goreski) and wows us all on the golden globes red carpet!

Song Of The Week ~ Anything Could Happen

last may of 2011 i featured ellie goulding's "lights" as my sotw and loved it.  come september 2012 i am very much over this song and it seems as though they are playing it more often on the radio, which confuses me considering her newest song "anything could happen" is so damn amazing.

i caught the tail end of this song last week and heard one little note of her beautiful voice and immediately headed over to itunes to download this gorgeous tune.  you may also recognize the song from the latest beats electronics commercial. 

trust me when i say if you liked/loved "lights" you will adore/love/obsess over "anything could happen" it's that good.  

Song of the Week: My Homies Still

anyone else loving lil wayne's "my homies still" as much as my roomie and me? 

the video is bizarre but the song is straight up summer fun and fantastic.  a much welcomed return by weezy f baby if you ask me. 

the awesome robert at cw worked this song into rotation in my 6 pm class last friday and it was much needed after the long week i had last week.  "my homies still" continued to lift my spirits well into the weekend which included some much needed r&r as well as some pool time and light spirits. 

happy monday folks!