Listening to...

Heard this song last night at work and frantically tried to jot down a few lines so I could look it up today... Isn't Google wonderful? 

Evidently this was featured in Twilight too? Whatevs. I think it's pretty regardless. 

Guilt-free Friday!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, loveyloos! After several major mishaps minor technical difficulties yesterday, I am back today with a new blog header (which is still a work in progress) and this week's roundup of permissible pleasures! The only casualty to yesterday's mayhem was a little sisterly, pre-dinner photo shoot that seems to have completely disappeared from my errant memory card... Oh technology... 


What are you doing this weekend?! I have a daddy date tonight (mom and the siblings are busy with a school function), and the rest of the weekend promises plentiful sunshine, delicious food, a houseful of company, & long days on the shore. I hope your weekend is splendid as well. Until we meet again...


Hey! It's ok...


...to sometimes close your eyes and pretend your Greek yogurt is ice cream. (And maybe occasionally add sprinkles.)


... if your only future plans are what China pattern you want to register for. Spouse, career, location... minor details. But China? That's serious stuff. 


... if you didn't watch Oprah's last show. Because let's be real, it's been years since you last tuned in, and not much has changed. Or maybe because you were too busy watching OWN...

["YOU get a car and YOU get a car and YOUUUU get a CARRRR" ... sorry, couldn't resist]

band it

I spent the past two days soaking up the sun. That's what you do when you're not really working and you have no responsibilities or obligations. As I was sitting on the beach today, Rob posted this song on my Facebook, and it seemed appropriate (and it will make reading this post 87% more enjoyable... statistically speaking)

Anyways, as a result of my labor, I have a tan that would make the general population mistake me for one lovely Latina (and undoubtedly make my dermatologist cringe...) I always put SPF 30 on my face though. All day, e'ry day. And I always protect my hair. If your colorist is as good as mine, or if your blonde-a-phobia* is as bad as mine, you should protect your tresses too. Here are a few of my favorite ways...

Halo Mist by Sebastian makes hair silky and shiny and added bonus: it has UV protection. I use it after blow drying and before hitting the beach/pool. (Warning: I only put it on the length of my hair, never the roots. Let's be real, after 48 hours these locks start lookin' greasier than the bottom of a Bojangles box, sans product.)

I absolutely love hats. A big, floppy hat is great because it gives added protection to the face. And I am currently craving a cute Panama hat like this on from J. Crew. 

Headbands/wraps are great because they are light and no-fuss. My aunt recently gave me one similar to this one, and I cannot stop wearing it! Headwraps are perfect because you can adjust them to your desired width, so even if you're not obsessed with protecting your hair color from the sun's damaging rays, they keep your hair out of your face!

Worst case scenario, I have been known to wrap shirts, towels, or other miscellaneous objects around my head. I mean let's face it, at the end of the day, it's all about the hair.




*blonde-a-phobia (noun) the fear of becoming blonde; not the actual fear of blondes. 

easy, breezy, beautiful

Ok, so I know you're probably thinking "What is it with the makeup kick lately?!" (As seen here and here...) And to be perfectly honest, I'm asking the same thing... 

Long story short... I purchased this NatureLuxe Gloss Balm when I was in Target last week mainly because it involved the words "nature" and "balm" (let's be real, I've never been much of a lipstick girl, opting for SPF over color any day) Packed with nourishing moisture, the perfect amount of sheen, a hint of color, and... wait for it... SPF 15. I am one happy beach bunny. I bought it in Sandstone and have every intention of purchasing it in Anemone (if not for the gorgeous tomato red hue, then for name's sake alone) and Coral (of course.)


In other news, have you been to the CoverGirl website? It is seriously impressive. Considering the fact that I'm a total makeup novice, they make it so easy! There are little quizzes you can take to determine what colors will compliment your skin tone. Then each item is color coded so you know what shade to buy! It's like having a personal makeup artist. (Now I'm not gonna say that I've upped my makeup game, but Sandstone, Anemone, and Coral all ended up matching my results, and I picked those three shades before taking the quiz... Maybe I'm born with it oops, wrong cosmetics company)

call me rita

Nothing says summer like a margarita. I think my taste for them is hereditary- all the women in my family love them. True story: on Seis de Mayo (you know, the day after Cinco de Mayo) my aunt sauntered into a 2 hour meeting... 2 hours late... and candidly explained that she drank one margarita the night before and woke up with a killer headache. She went on to assure her boss that she took a BC powder and was good to go. Now granted, she wasn't late because of the cheap tequila, rather she had mistaken the time of the meeting. And when she made the proclamation about the BC powder she didn't realize she was actually 2 hours late, she was just making small talk with her co-workers. That painful realization came approximately 45 minutes later. Talk about embarrassing...

The fun doesn't stop there. In my cousin's graduation toast, my grandma professed "Thank God for lipstick, men, and margaritas!" What can I say; I come from a long line of classy women.

The only foreseeable threat to the appeal of a mid-summer margarita is the potential damage to your perfect bikini body, right? Wrong. Enter: the SkinnyGirl Margarita. I mean you could try to make your own, but you just can’t beat the comfort/appeal of knowing that the only thing standing between you and citrusy, tequila goodness is a screw-cap. Now if you’re feeling fancy, you can add other things to kick it up a notch (How’s that for an old school Emeril reference? BAM!) 

Our favorite additions? Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier is always good, and Patron’s version is exceptional!) a splash of Sprite Zero, and fresh berries make for a tasty treat when you get to the bottom of your glass!

[I like to rim my glass with a mix of salt and sugar (actually Truvia.) It is delicious and helps cut back on the sodium.]

[three generations of margaritas on the porch- the perfect way to end a beautiful, summer day!]

Guilt-free Friday!

Happy Friday, kittens! What is your weekend looking like? The forecast here is warm and sunny with a 100% chance of beach. Looking forward to relaxing a bit with one of my most favorite visitors. It is always fun to have guests, because it grants full permission to act like you're on vacation too. Wishing you lazy mornings, sunshiney days, and cappuccino & shared desserts after every meal. Until next time...


Hey! It's ok...


... to be a little behind on your tv viewing (hello Mad Men season 1... nice to finally meet you.) At least it means commercial-free viewing.


...if the fine line between unemployment and permanent vacation becomes increasingly hazy with each passing day.


... if your driving skills are sub-par. Let's face it, I always expected a chauffeur.*

*Preferably Hector Elizondo a la Princess Diaries (#duh)

settling in

I spent all of yesterday unpacking. I am certainly not proud of this. By the end of the day I realized how terribly excessive and materialistic I can be at times. As I dug through piles of clothing, shoes, and purses I suddenly remembered these photos I shot in Africa... 

When I saw people everywhere in tattered clothes and children who walk miles without shoes to protect their feet, I vowed to never say "I have nothing to wear" ever again. But that's the thing about abundance. You get settled in to your comfortable lifestyle and forget about the suffering that is going on in the world. Now, I'm not saying we should sell everything or give up shopping, clothes, or the artistic beauty the fashion industry has to offer, but I am certainly going to purpose myself to be more appreciative and grateful for what I do have. 

Naut-y

Since school is out and the warm weather seems to be here to stay, I think my obsession with all things nautical can finally be deemed appropriate. (Truth be told, I think living at the coast is the perfect excuse to gravitate toward nautical pieces year-round.) Knots, ropes, and stripes galore... these are a few of my current favorites.

 Perfect Fit Stripe Henley Tank from J. Crew

Forever 21's Striped Raglan Top (I have it in 2 colors (navy w/ white stripes & white w/ grey stripes) Lightweight but cozy... prefect for chilly summer evenings or early mornings on the dock!)

Spotted this adorable vintage scarf on Etsy

Sparkle & Fade Hi-Waisted Sailor Shorts

Kate Spade's Royal Plantation Quinn (the bold red and wicker... I die) 

And the perfect finishing touch... French Connection's Twist Chain Rope Necklace

Bon voyage!

displaced

Saturday was graduation. Sunday was move out. Now Monday is here, in all her latte-laden glory, and I can't help but feel a little displaced. All the "essentials" are still buried deep in my little CR-V, I'm wearing my mom's pajamas, and it is highly probable that I haven't showered since I became an alumni. I could share pictures from the amazing weekend (if my computer wasn't buried deep in boxes) or I could post the guilt-frees I would have posted Friday if Blogger had not been down (if I had actually written them) or I could post something witty and inspirational about the world being my oyster (but not everyone shares an affinity for shellfish) So instead, I will borrow a bathing suit from my little sister and go lay by the pool, until I decide what to do with the rest of my life, or until I get thirsty, whatever comes first. And tomorrow? Back on the blog wagon. Happy Monday, chickens. 

[if you don't have a pool surrounded by confederate jasmine to lounge by, I really do sympathize.]

Braziliant

Do you remember playing that game at slumber parties where you flip through yearbooks and pick one potential future husband from each page? No matter how terrible the selection was, you had to pick one boy from each page. Oh to be 11 again...

This morning while we were attentively listening to our classmates' final presentations in Digital Multimedia, Jordan and I reinvented this little game. After drooling over the Essie Brazil collection (out in June) we flipped trough each page of polish (i.e. the entire Essie website...) and picked out one shade from each page. The competition was significantly more competitive that the selection of boys from my childhood days, but then again I went to a tiny private school...

If I could pick just one shade from the Brazil collection I would go for braziliant, but I have a feeling I will be purchasing absolutely shore as well...

And maybe a few others...

[smooth sailing, too too hot, and meet me at sunset]

So tell me, if you had to choose just one from this collection, which shade would you go for?!

mother's day

I was fortunate enough to spend Mother's Day with my family in beautiful Emerald Isle... 

Started the day with cinnamon rolls

 and my brother tried to cook breakfast, but my mom wasn't too quick to give up her kitchen

Made brownies from scrath with my pretty sister

and then made pralines too!

Yoshi stood by to lend a hand with any potential spills

and I stayed in pajamas until 4pm

the pralines were good

and my tablescape would make even Sandra Lee jealous. (Dinner was so delicious that I completely forgot about my little Nikon...oops!)

We topped off the brownies and pralines with fresh strawberries and my grandma's homemade whipped cream

 And enjoyed a beautiful evening on the porch.

p.s. aren't my parents cute?

Hoping you had a wonderful Mother's Day too. Hug your mom. :)

sexy mexi.

It is no secret that I love everything Mexican, so I always take full advantage of Cinco de Mayo. It is perfect because it typically falls right in the middle of exams and provides a much needed break (or fiesta) from all the cramming (unless you have no exams, holler). Today, I have every intention of accomplishing absolutely nothing except getting a few shades darker (for the sole purpose of possibly passing for Latina) and achieving the perfect 50/50 balance of guacamole and tequila in my daily caloric intake. Ay dios mio! 


Recipe for grapefruit margs? Ok, Ina, take it away.


Delicious looking taquitos? Ok, here ya go. 


Recap from last years Cinco de Mayo/Easy Guacamole How-to? Sure.


Anything else? Oh, a picture of me in a sombrero? If you insist...

[5/5/2010]

Urban Decay

Ever since I did this post I have had the makeup bug. I tend to blame it on the lovely packaging. Have you ever noticed that? The cosmetics industry does packaging right. Anyways, my mom was in town last week and we went a little crazy in Ulta (sorry dad!) I tried out some new products from Urban Decay and I have been loving them! I'm still a loyal Bare Minerals girl, of course, but these are the newest additions to my cosmetics arsenal.

24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon

24/7 Glide-On Shadow Pencil in Midnight Cowboy

After Glow Glide-On Cheek Tint in Score

The boys' fraternity had their formal Saturday night, so it was the perfect opportunity to try everything out! I was really happy with the results- the perfect balance between shimmery and natural. (Side note: I haven't stopped wearing the blush since I opened it. Seriously, I came this close to putting it on before bed the past 2 nights, but I somehow managed to refrain.) Tada:

With my handsome baby bruddy! 

[Photo via iPhone so it isn't the best]

And a group shot! 

[Outfit details: clutch by Kenneth Cole, dress and belt by J. Crew, adorable wedges by Coconuts not pictured, unfortunately]