Palm Desert Trip

October 22, 20141 Comment

Hey friends!

Bry and I are back from our amazing 8-day holiday in Palm Desert!

And YOU GUYS. I played tennis. Like, for real. And I only hit one ball into a cactus garden. I feel very successful. Maybe I should start tweeting the Williams girls or Anna K or someone!?

We left early mornin two Saturdays ago and made it into Palm Springs around 4:30 pm. After we picked up a SASSY rental car we headed to Ralph’s for groceries. Our room had a pretty nice-sized kitchenette so we filled our cart and headed for our hotel.

We pulled in at the Westin Desert Villas and after checking in we sat down to a great dinner at the hotel restaurant, Agave. The hotel continued to amaze us all week, with really friendly staff, beautiful pools and delicious food+drinks. YAY.

Lots of our trip was spent laying by the pool, playing tennis, grilling burgers and watching Below Deck on Bravo (SO good). I also brought along the Steve Jobs book, by Walter Issacson and devoured the whole thing in 7 days. What a guy. An a-hole, yes. But a genius, and now I want a Mac laptop…

Flank Steak!

Highlinghts from our trip include firstly, a jaunt up to the top of Palm Desert’s popular (rotating) aerial tram. We decided to do a 5-mile loop once we got to the top and I am happy to report that I actually went FASTER than Bryan. I was SO Legolas. Also, we passed a troop of Army guys on the trail in full gear so baaaasically I think that makes me a Marine. Green beret.

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After our hike we did what any Californian would do.

We also drove the hour or so over to Joshua Tree! Unfortunately my allergies decided to flare up HARD so I was a complete mess the whole time we were there. I could only manage a quick 2-mile hike but lemme tell ya – it was absolutely beautiful. It’s amazing in a way that words cannot describe. The trees and plant-life are very Dr. Suessy which was completely fascinating too. Josh Tree, two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Feelin like crap

After two days of wilderness adventure I decided it was high time I drag Bryan along for a taste of MY kindof fun. The OUTLET MALL. Palm Desert’s Desert Hills Outlets were the ticket. The place is absolutely enourmous and a bit palatial. Plus, it’s a designer outlet mall so it had the big boys. Prada, Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrara, Gucci – I was dyyyyying. The most exciting (for me) shops were Nieman Marcus Last Call, Barney’s Outlet, Saks Off 5th, Tory Burch, J.Crew Outlet and of course The Cosmetics Company.

I ended up with a couple things from J.Crew and 1 Mac Mineralized blush from The Cosmetics Company. Bry was a sport and studied for an upcoming exam he has to take for work at Starbucks. But you guys, I could have spent ALL DAY at this place.

We had some delicious meals and ended up utilizing the BBQ at our hotel 3 nights too. I learned to swim underwater kindof and do a tennis serve. Bryan learned that sunblock should always go on the back of your neck and why the clearance rack at Barney’s Outlet is something to squeal over.

All in all, an educational and wonderful desert holiday!

Our Wedding: Makeup Edition

October 12, 20142 Comments

G’day gents.

And ladies :).

Today we shall discuss my wedding meekup, because really. What could be more important?

I realize for most, cosmetics are a frivolity. A necessary evil we need to achieve a certain amount of normalcy in our daily lives. A coat a’mascara, some skin-colored goop and it’s over.

But for me, makeup is more. WAY more.

It is the air I breathe. The sun upon my face (or maybe that’s just bronzer…). Call me what you will – believe me, Bryan has, but I just can’t get enough. So for me, the things I wore on my face for my wedding were a pretty big deal. And when things are a big deal to me, I tell YOU guys. The ones who get it. So without further adieu, here’s the rundown.

Skincare

The night before my wedding I knew I wanted to do two separate masks. So I started by washing my face with Purity, and then I immediately applied the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask. I let that sit for maybe 10 minutes and then rinsed it off with warm water. Then I applied the Michael Todd Pumpkin Mask (which repulses me both in smell AND texture) and let that sit another ten minutes. After rinsing that off, I spritzed with Mario Bedascu Rosewater Spray and applied my Boots No.7 Lift & Luminate Night Cream. Lastly, I used the Tarte Maracuja Oil Eye Cream.

In the morning I rinsed my face with hot AND cold then applied rosewater spray and a Kate Somerville moisturizer with NO SPF. Under my eyes, I applied the Origins Ginzeng Eye Cream.

Makeup

To start, I applied Hourglass primer all over my face and let that sink in. I then applied a generous amount of Makeup Forever HD Foundation in 20 all over my face using a damp Beauty Blender. After that, I sprayed a fine coat of Napoleon Perdis Boudoir Mist Foundation in shade 2 in segmented locations all over my face and waited 2 minutes to dry.

Under my eyes, I applied Bye Bye Undereye by It Cosmetics with the pointed end of the Beauty Blender in the upside down triangle formation. To set the under eye, I used Bobbi Brown’s Brightening Powder in Porcelain Pearl.

For eyes, I began by priming them with Primer Potion by Urban Decay. I then applied multiple smoky neutral colors from the Lorac Pro Palette to my eyelids and on my lower lash line. I used Mac’s Nylon as a highlight on the inner corner and my brow-bone. For eyeliner, I first used the Nars Larger Than Life Eye Pencil in Via Veneto. I topped that with the L’Oreal Carbon Black liquid liner and created a soft wing. I used the pencil eye liner along the bottom lash line and placed a Rimmel Scandal Eye Pencil in Nude in my lower-water line. *I also put tissues on my cheeks to catch any fall out from shadow or liner

Now, LASHES! I used a set of “Mink” (not sure these were real mink) lashes from Sephora on the top and then added multiple bunches in the Long length from Ardell on the outer half of my upper lid. I also applied a generous amount of They’re Real! Mascara by Benefit. On the bottom lashes, I first applied mascara and then added 4-5 bunches per eye of Ardell lashes in the Short length.

I hate doing my eyebrows. That just needs to be said. I used the Anastasia Brow Whiz in Ash Blonde and incorporated a tiny bit of dip brow into the equation. I set everything with brow gel of course.

Next, I used the Chanel Tan De Soleil bronzer lightly all over my face with a large brush and then I contoured using Benefit’s Hoola bronzer. On my cheeks, I wore the Tarte Captivating Blush and highlighted with a very light amount of Mac’s Soft and Gentle.

On my lips, I did the Mary Kay lip mask and then followed up with the NYX Primer Pencil. I first applied a Starlooks Peachy lip liner and then Mac Crème Cup (obvs) and topped that with a lip plumper from Victoria’s Secret in Baby Pink. Through out the day, I also applied the plumper as well as NYX Butter Gloss in Apple Streusel.

To set my face, I dusted the Celebration Illumination Foundation by It Cosmetics where I needed it and then added a nice coat of Urban Decay’s All-Nighter Setting Spray.

For my body, I contoured a teensy bit along my collar-bone with Hoola and added a very sheer shimmer powder to my décolletage. Then I sprayed myself with 14 gallons of Heavenly by VS because DUH.

Here I am with my best gals

And then I got married :).

* All photos courtesy of Allie Hannah Photography

A Night with Dr. Huxtable

October 10, 20142 Comments

OH YES.

He’s one’a the greats. Right up there with Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Martin Short and of course Robin Williams (may he rest in peace). Bill Cosby is one of those comedians who can make me laugh with a single facial expression. Or one gruesomely awesome sweater. One proclamation, stating “Theoooo likes the swirly puddin’ poppppss!”. Oh, but he is so much more. A poor kid who “didn’t know he was poor”. A guy who won the hearts of millions doing stand-up comedy, writing books, and of course playing our favorite TV Dad, Dr. Huxtable. He is a master of comedy. He is a man I feel privileged to have seen live.

Bryan’s job earned us a spot at the company table a couple nights ago, for a local youth program aimed at keeping kids off the streets after foster care. An absolutely wonderful organization and one that Bry and I were happy to support, the evening kicked off with a cocktail hour. With Mr. Cosby as the head-liner, I wasn’t surprised to see this AMAZING list of cocktails presented at the bar:

And OF COURSE jello shots. Because what night with The Cos would be complete without them?

After a couple of drinks, we all headed into the banquet hall for dinner.

The menu consisted of a soup, entrée and the best part – dessert. I had the goat cheese tart with asparagus and was SO excited to get through it so I could dive into the CANDY centerpiece. Btw, Milk Duds might be a life-changer. Like, HOW have I not been eating these everyday of my life??

After our dinner, Mr. Cosby was introduced and slowly made his way onto the stage. The guy is 77 and yeah, he looks it. He sat down, adjusted his mic in a crew neck sweatshirt that said “Hello Friend” and – instantaneously became the comedian I remembered.

He began by talking about his childhood in the Philly projects. He recounted such details as drinking water from empty Hellman’s mayo jars and nearly setting his house (and himself) on fire on more than once occasion. He talked about his family, his parents and his granddad. Then he went into (his famous) bits about Adam and Eve and of course, The Bible. I had to squeeze Bryan’s arm in sheer excitement when he began that part.

As a kid, we had a few Bill Cosby stand-up routines on vinyl and I would sit and listen to them for hours. I still have some sections memorized. Here I was, some 20 years later and finally listening to the real thing! It was pretty amazing.

He concluded his routine in the most sincere, grateful and classy way possible. He thanked each and every one of us for being “a part of the solution” to helping kids have a better life no matter the hand they were dealt. What a guy, that Cosby. What a guy.

We drove home that night with sugar comas, sore cheeks and full hearts. Definitely a Cosby kind-of night :).

Our Wedding: My Dress

October 6, 2014October 4, 20142 Comments

I am so excited to finally be able to show you guys the dress contenders. Choosing my dress was pretty easy after I narrowed down my criteria, which was:

To look like a Ballerina

Hahahaaa. But really, I knew I wanted to look hyper feminine, timeless and as much like a ballerina as possible. Not like the polished, face-lifting bun type, but like the beautifully undone, I-just-stepped-off-stage ballerina. After looking online, I noted a few styles from various designers that were MUST-TRY’s. It seemed I was utterly smitten by many of the dresses by Watters, so I sought out the shops that carried the brand.

Here are some of the ones that made the final cut.

Sorry about not remembering all the details of each of these. Detail-oriented, I am not.

This one came from a little shop in Bellevue, La Belle Reve. All I recall was that it was a style called “Megan”. In hindsight…I kinda wish I would have went with this dress. It was simple, really comfortable and the dress I chose was a TORTURE CHAMBER. Plus it was a good boob-dress.

I allllmost chose this dress because I felt like a southern belle AND a ballerina, which to me, is the most perfect creature imaginable.

One closed-mouth smile was needed

It was SUPER poof and the bodice was LIFE-CHANGING but I think it was like 18-hundo. Kinda spendy. This dress was in Seattle at a shop called La Belle Elaine’s.

This one was my and Bryan’s mom’s favorite, also at La Belle Elaine’s. The top was absolutely adorable, with a floral-lace overlay. I loved it too, but felt that it accentuated my linebacker shoulders.

And lastly, here is MY dress, found at I Do Bridal in Seattle. It is by Justin Alexander, style 8670.

In the first photos, I am wearing the sample from the store. You will see how much more POOF was involved in the finished dress.

Below are some shots from our wedding day.

Overall, I loved my dress. We added tiny rolled satin straps to it because 1.) I do not like strapless dresses on me and 2.) they added to the ballerina-factor. It definitely could have fit me better and was probably better suited for a big-chested gal, but the gals who helped me failed to point out that fact. My advice to any bride would be to choose a dress that speaks to your style and aesthetic, but that also suits your body. My sister had a similar experience when she realized after the fact, that her dress was probably better suited for a taller broad. Whatevs, we choose was we like.

Profesh photos courtesy of Allie Hannah Photography.

Mother Nancy sewed the straps on after the dress was on me

Soooo classy with the purple solo cup

Which one do YOU like best?

ALSO, would anyone like to see a bridal makeup post? I did my own makeup and would be happy to share!!

New Mac Finds

September 25, 20141 Comment

Hello sparkly unicorn babies!

Today I bring you a post which is long overdue. Sister Megan gave me two things from Mac on my wedding day, which I had been eyeing for months! What a little sweetheart that gal is :).

Mac Strobe Liquid Lotion

If you guys have been devoted ND fans, then you already know – I am all about the dewy face. I steer clear of anything with the word “matte” in the title most always. Give me a sun-kissed, glowy face or give me death I like to say!

This face lotion from Mac provides a beautiful iridescent glow that, when applied under foundation, gives a beautifully natural “lit from within” finish to the skin. I don’t wear this everyday, but on those days where my skin is lookin’ sad and dull – strobe lotion be where it’s at.

Mac Eyeshadow in Nylon

A cult favorite, this eyeshadow packs a serious punch. In the pan, it looks like nothing crazy – an eggshell-colored shade with a bit of sheen. But when applied to the lid, you get a wonderful highlighted brightness that words cannot describe. I also LOVE to use Nylon as a highlighter on my cheekbones and on the brow bone. Such a perfect shade to provide that pop without any crazy glitter. I love.

What have YOU been loving from Mac?

The Big 200

September 22, 2014September 22, 2014Leave a comment

It’s heeeeeeeeere!

You know the “re-cap” or “through the years” episodes of your favorite shows? You’re kinda pissed it’s not just a regular episode but it’s kinda fun to remember all those crazy moments. Well folks, that’s what I’m trying to capture here.

200 posts I have written on this humble spot on the WWW and not a word I regret.

From the early days where I wanted to capture all the craziness in the mountains to recipes Bryan and I dreamed up – it all just HAD to be blogged. I mean. Clearly, yes.

I moved on through my own journeys, whether they were up a snowy-ass mountain pass (rhyming) or getting tons of bug bites! I made rainbow-colored Unicorn Bites, which are mystifying AND delicious, and of course plenty of cupcakes. We went to Mexico and played beach volleyball with the locals while sipping margs and eating too much guac.

Bry and I went to Vegas where my phone got stolen and I cried in the middle of The Venetian. I began to actually enjoy skiing and our awesome hike to Lake Solitude in serious unicorn territory. We went on an epic cruise and…we got ENGAGED!

Then, I started blogging about my obsesh with makeup and began shopping for a bridesmaid dress for my sister’s wedding! Megan got married and I tried to convince her to throw the bouquet directly to me…

I was full of sunshine and even got an award to prove it! Bryan and I flew off to Maui where I fell in love all over again. We came back and bought a house!!! It was awesome and also the venue for my 30th birthday party.

I had a fun girls weekend in Leavenworth with my BFFs and then scampered off to Whistler with Bry for some skiing! I said goodbye to my wonderful grandma G-Dot in Montana which was sad but also a lot of fun. Later on, Bryan got promoted at work which was GREAT. But it also meant we had to move to Portland and subsequently, sell our home :(.

We moved to Portland, ate doughnuts and hiked around. The we got MARRIED and basically, here we are. Newlyweds of two months, trying to find ourselves in a city where young people go to retire.

What will the next 200 posts hold for me, for us?

Stay tuned to find out :).

Summer Readin’

September 17, 20142 Comments

Howdy y’all.

I’ve been watching a new Lifetime show , Kim of Queens and I am currently doling out y’alls like a southern belle. Apologies for that :).

Last night I finished yet another book and realized I haven’t kept my lovely bloggies abreast of any of my summer reads! THE HORROR. So, in true fourth-grader fashion, here’s what I read this summer.

50 Shades Darker by E.L James

I’m not really that ashamed to admit I read the entire 50 Shades Trilogy. For whatever reason, I had to find out what happened with Miss Steele and Christian. It also helped that I found them all at Goodwill for $2 – because – let’s be real – nobody wants to be seen buying these at Barnes & Noble (although, I probably would have).

50 Shades Freed by E.L James

I can sum up this trilogy, if we’re calling it that in ONE word: sex. There is really not much more to these books than that. I suppose one could call them educational in a way? Whatever. And yes, I am seeing the movie.

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

Oh, Philippa. How I love your writing. I think I may have enjoyed this book even more than The Other Boleyn Girl AND The Favored Child. This book focused on two of Henry VIII’s lesser known wives, Anne of Cleves and little Katherine (Kitty) Howard. After his subsequent marriages to Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour (both dead), Henry decided to wed Anne of Cleves to form an alliance with her country and family. But girlfriend was prude and Henry wasn’t having it. He got rid of Anne so that he could marry the young Katherine Howard (who was young enough to be his grand daughter) but this relationship quickly crumbled and Katherine ended up on the chopping block too.

Unlike The Other Boleyn Girl, I liked seeing the older, grosser version of Henry VIII. He was waaay past his prime, with a rotten leg and a horrible disposition, but the women and men of court continued to throw themselves at him, showering him with compliments and praise. He had no idea that he was this putrid, sorry excuse for a human being because nobody would dare tell him so.

Just, fascinating!

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

I touched on this book in an earlier post, but never described how much I loved it. Have you ever read something that you loved so much, that you read each page twice simply because you didn’t want it to end? THAT, my friends, is how I felt about The Paris Wife.

Basically, this book is about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley, their life in Paris and their inevitable separation. First of all, this book made me want to read everything by Hemingway (or Hem, as I refer to him now). Although this book is technically fiction, the author brings Ernest completely to life through Hadley, and highlights his point of view in a very interesting and poignant way.

Hadley is just awesome. She’s awesome. She is smart, practical yet also fun, and incredibly perceptive. She has a deep, true love for Ernest throughout the entirety of the book, despite his alcoholism, fighting and crazy antics. She loves him even when his wandering eye gets the best of them both. She lets him go and it is sad, so sad. But it’s also wonderful, in a way. I just fell in love with both these people and can’t wait to discover more.

U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton

This book I plucked from the shelves of the “library” (i.e four rickety shelves of books) at our remote honeymoon resort in Lovina, Bali. I was desperate and there were probably 10 titles all together written in English.

I do lurve a good mystery every now and then, though. I have to admit I kept thinking of that episode of The Office where Phyllis tries to get Sue Grafton to be in Dunder Mifflin’s commercial and she comes back all distraught. teehee. This book was exactly what you’d expect from a hugely successful mystery writer. What I found to be most interesting is how she describes literally EVERYTHING happening. Pick up any Grafton and I’m sure you’ll notice this too.

Overall, it was enjoyable! A great, mindless read for the pool and on the plane.

Marie Antoinette, The Last Queen of France by Evelyne Lever

Not sure if any of y’all remember, but a few years ago I went to Paris with my family and we spent a day at Versailles!! My Mom, sister and Dad were all pooped from touring the palace and didn’t have the energy to go out into the gardens and meadows by the Petit Trianon, so I went by m’self. It was honestly, the SINGLE most amazing thing I’ve ever done – and I think the reason why I loved it so much was that I was all alone, with only my thoughts. I even scampered off the designated “pathways” and frolicked (YES) in the meadows as I’m sure Marie Antoinette and her daughter, Maria Therese had done 300 years ago!

Tangent, sorry! Needless to say, I have ALWAYS been obsessed with Versailles, Louis, Marie Antoinette, macarons and petticoats. I decided to read this book no matter how boring it got, and yeah, it DID get boring. But I also learned SO much. Like how everyone at court was in the room when Marie Antoinette gave birth to her daughter, so that everyone knew she actually had it and it was hers. Like, WOW – how awful would that be?

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters

Ok, SO. This book is simply amazing. I would recommend this one to anyone – any walk of life, age, sex, whatever, it is that good. Also, sidenote: the author lives in SPOKANE. Like, who knew that kind of talent could come out of Spokane, WA? Crazy. The plot is very tricky to explain but it reminds me a little of Love Actually. Where there’s a bunch of different little stories that all somehow weave together, although these stories stretch back some forty years, which gives them a depth you will have to read to believe.

And that’s it for me! What should I read next?? Let me know in the comments!