10.26.2015

Sushi Date Night

Sushi Date Night

John and I celebrated last Friday with a sushi dinner and a movie at home. 

What to do and what to wear... One. Throw on a sleek dress. Two. Get dolled up with winged eyeliner and a sheer cheek stain. Three. Add a necklace to fancy it up. Four. Sake for sure. Five. Eat sushi for days. Six. Chat about everything and anything.

And there you have it, a simple night in for two. Enjoy.

10.15.2015

These Things

I'm kind of going into a save mode, which mind you isn't a bad mode to go into, but here are a few things that have caught my eye:

These Things

[Clockwise]
+Yoga Joes — I've been getting more into yoga again and these yoga joes have the perfect amount of whimsy.
+Tracksmith Singlet — This chic singlet for running could also work for yoga, right?
+Ukelele  I've been thinking about getting a ukulele for years and now that all the hipsters have them, I should probably get on that. William H. Macy is a fan, in this New Yorker article which is a great read, he said “It’s hard to be depressed around a ukulele. You just pick it up and you’re halfway home.”
+Manduka Cork Block — I only have one yoga block, which is becoming problematic. Two nice cork blocks would be a good addition to my practice.
+Tata Harper Lip & Cheek Tint — This lip & cheek tint in 'Very Charming' looks lovely. Tata Harper always has great packaging.

9.28.2015

Cleaner Beauty No. 1

Since reading Skin Cleanse, I've been analyzing my beauty routine. Mostly using the Think Dirty app as a guide, I've been slowly transitioning my routine to be simpler and cleaner. Bonus: most clean beauty products are cheaper than the products previously on my wish list.

Here are a few favorites so far:

Cleaner Beauty No. 1

[Clockwise]
+RMS Beauty Lip Shine 'Royal'  RMS has great beauty products, their Living Luminizer is a beautiful highlighter and this purple lipgloss is right on trend.

+Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Oil  I've been eyeing this product for months and they just launched through Sephora, so it's easier to pick up some of their best products. I'm obsessed with any lapis or blue tansy products, so this oil looks divine.

+Egyptian Magic All Purpose Cream  This cult favorite is made from six of nature's most powerful moisturizing and healing ingredients. I spotted it at Costco and would love to pick some up before this winter.

+Acure Brightening Facial Scrub  This is a great substitute for my previous favorite exfoliator, ExfoliKate. Instead of micro-beads, this scrub uses lemon peel and is a 2015 Earth Day Beauty Award winner.

+Indie Lee Rosehip Cleanser  I'm obsessed with rosehip oil, so this cleanser is my jam. Indie Lee has great products with minimal ingredients and the beautiful packaging never hurts.

9.14.2015

Recommended Reading

I've been slacking off on reading this year, but I just finished a Lorrie Moore book, skimmed Skin Cleanse, and I'm thinking about delving into screenplays...

Recommended Reading

Here is an excerpt from each:

1. Anagrams (Lorrie Moore)
When I told my husband I hated him, we hadn't been married long at all. It was when he was taking my picture with his new camera, narrowing his eyes, adjusting the shutter speed, posing me at various angles until my smile felt aching and absurd. We were in the living room. He had asked me to take my shirt off and I'd obliged. I'd been standing there by the mantel awhile and it was getting cold, the hairs on my arms standing on end, my nipples erect. "Got your high beams on," said my husband, like a college kid, camera to his face. Finally he pulled the camera away from his eyes. "Light's bad," he mumbled and walked off without taking the shot. Stunned and topless, I followed him into the dining room where he began taking pictures of the porcelain monkey-head lamp my Aunt Wyn had sent us for our wedding. "The light's hitting this great," said my husband. "The reading's perfect." His camera was clicking away. (P. 113)
2. Skin Cleanse (Adina Grigore)
Let me say, as clearly as I can, your diet is the most essential tool you have to getting great skin. You cannot eat crap and have clear skin. Period. You could ignore everything else in this book and just cut out sugar or drink more water, and your skin would get better. But the problem these days is that almost all of us are putting too much stock in what we're being told to eat by people who don't know us, and we're not listening enough to what our bodies really need. We are all individuals. In the same way that all of the factors in your background and lifestyle affect your overall health, they also affect how you should be eating. Your diet changes throughout your life, and it is greatly impacted by your state of mind. (P. 37)
3. Dear Life: Stories (Alice Munro)
'To Reach Japan'
She sent her letter to him there, at the newspaper. She could not be sure that he opened his mail and she thought that putting Private on the envelope was asking for trouble, so she wrote only the day of her arrival and the time of the train, after the bit about the bottle. No name. She thought that whoever opened the envelope might think of an elderly relative given to whimsical turns of phrase. Nothing to implicate him, even supposing such peculiar mail did get sent home and his wife opened it, being now out of the hospital. (P. 15)
 
4. Yes Please (Amy Poehler)
The only thing we can depend on in life is that everything changes. The seasons, our partners, what we want and need. We hold hands with our high school friends and swear to never lose touch, and then we do. We scrape ice off our cars and feel like winter will never end, and it does. We stand in the bathroom and look at our face and say, "Stop getting old, face. I command you!" and it doesn't listen. Change is the only constant. Your ability to navigate and tolerate change and its painful uncomfortableness directly correlates to your happiness and general well-being. See what I just did there? I saved you thousands of dollars on self-help books. If you can surf your life rather than plant your feet, you will be happier. Maybe I should have called this book Surf Your Life. The cover could feature a picture of me on a giant wave wearing a wizard hat. I wonder if it's too late. I'll make a call. (P. 279)

9.03.2015

These Things

As always, dreaming of travel and spending money on beauty products. Here are a few of my recent thoughts and inspirations:

These Things

[Clockwise]
+Hitlist App — If I'm not planning a trip, I'm not happy. This new-to-me app is amazing, it searches for cheap flights from your home airport and also gives great inspiration for new places to travel. (I also loved this article on the best approach to booking Airbnbs.)

+Luna Night Oil — I've been dying to try this cult favorite, so when Sephora offered a deluxe sample I jumped on it. I can easily see why people love it, it's blue, which is fascinating, and it feels luxurious. It's already been happily added to my nightly routine.

+Glossier Coconut Balm Dotcom — I adore all of Glossier's products and their new addition is no exception. It smells like summer and it lasts a long time, which is necessary for a lip balm addict like me.

+Everlane Ryan Muscle TankThis tank has a great tomboy cut and is made from the softest rayon fabric. I just wish they had more colors...

+Land of Nod Llama-a-Rama Sham — Loving this whimsical llama print from Land of Nod. It would be a fun addition to the bedding collection and so cozy for this F/W.

8.27.2015

O'ahu, Hawaii



Since I haven't posted in awhile, I have a few trips to catch up on. Here are some of the highlights from my birthday trip to Hawaii:







+Stayed in downtown Waikiki.
+Hiked to Makapu’u Point.
+Catamaran TradeWind Sailing Trip.
+Obsessed with the palm trees.
+My favorite Ban Mi - lemongrass tofu.

8.20.2015

These Things

I've missed blogging, but there are so many other mediums that are much easier for tracking inspirations [Pinterest] and goods to purchase [Keep]. However, I still wanted to pull together a little sneak into my stream of consciousness each week. So here are a few things occupying space in my mind:

These Things

[Clockwise]
+Rosehip Oil — After reading about Miranda Kerr using rosehip oil, I decided to grab a bottle and try it out. I plan to massage it in while my skin is still damp after bathing.

+Lisbon, Portugal — I've been loosely planning a trip to Spain/Portugal for next spring. This hostel was featured on Refinery29 and has further piqued my interest in Lisbon. I hear Portugal is magical with great beaches, food, and cities.

+Madewell Silk Paisley Picnic Dress — I've had my eye on this dress and picked it up on sale a couple of days ago for a wedding this Saturday in Laguna Beach. J is working as a videographer and I'm attempting to be his production assistant again...

+Tibi 'Denni' Loafers — After reading this article, I have developed a slight obsession. I need to find a pair to try on before my lust spirals out. (Also: how to style a mule loafer)

+Medicine Cabinets — I love peaking into people's medicine cabinets, whether on Instagram or in real life. I'm itching to move into a house next year and I'm obsessed with having a medicine cabinet of my own to 'curate'.

3.05.2015

Date Night In

Date Night In

With another little cold snap before spring, why not stay in?

What to do and what to wear (in no particular order)... One. Throw on a soft chemise. Two. Fancy it up with a simple lip and cheek stain. Three. Mix up a cocktail with his favorite liqueur. Four. Wrap up in a warm throw. Five. Listen to some music on vinyl and banter about whose turn it is to flip the record. Six. Light a nice smelling candle for both the scent and ambiance. Seven. Let's be honest... you're going to throw on a pair of socks to keep your toes warm. Eight. And some massage oil never hurts.

And there you have it, a simple night in for two. Enjoy.

(via Bleubird)

2.19.2015

Currently No. 17

I've been on the lookout for high rise jeans and this J.Crew pair might just work until I can get to Nashville and try on a pair of Imogene & Willie. I also finally bought a couple of cult favorite beauty products. The Clinique eye pencil in 'Egyptian' and M·A·C lipstick in 'Rebel'.

What has been catching your eye lately?

Currently No. 17

1.19.2015

Currently No. 16

A new year and a few new toys... I ended up buying a new car last Tuesday and I am looking forward to a good year emphasizing quality over quantity.

Currently No. 16