I have been snowed in for four days now. Some by chance ... some by choice. I guess I could have actually ventured out, but why chance it when I am so comfortable and snuggled at home? Thanks to Pinterest, take out Chinese food, and a boyfriend who likes to watch a lot of movies, it wasn't that bad. I actually really enjoyed it
But day three got me. Day three had me antsy pantsy. A lot of energy and not a lot of things to do since I have no idea how to drive on ice. So I did what any person would do. I worked out. (Right?) Since grad school is basically over now, I knew that my next goal was to be in ridiculously good shape. So why not start on a snow day? Thanks to YouTube and free videos... I found plenty of workouts that I could save and do now, or on another snow day since I won't be driving to the gym.
I started out with the day 1 shred video.
There is the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred - Video 1
I believe I will try to abs one soon.
Jillian Michaels 6 Weeks 6-Pack Abs
And, Jillian Michaels Stretch Video
After I start to workout more, in the gym and at home, I'm going to tackle the hardest looking Jillian Michaels one...
The Banish Fat Complete Workout
There you go. No excuses. Not even for me.
#GivePink, Get More with Bloomingdales
Breast Cancer affects everyone that is a woman. Either you have had it, known someone who has had it, had it affect you through family, or go for a yearly check up. In 2013, 232,340 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed. Whatever the form, it's time to stand together to end the fight and win the war.
And what better way to do that through shopping? Shopping to end breast cancer? Sign me up! In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Bloomingdale’s will fund research support and awareness programs. So how do you do this? See below for more details.
The GIVE
From October 1 through November 3, 2013, enroll by charging a $15 fee on your Bloomingdale's card–100% funds research, support and awareness programs at The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Tutu Project benefiting The Carey Foundation and The Cancer Vixen Fund at Beth Israel Hospital.Then shop to your heart's content (even for cosmetics and fragrances) on your Bloomingdale's card.
The GET
You'll be mailed a Give Pink, Get More gift card worth up to $250 in December–just in time for the holidays–to use at any Bloomingdale's store and bloomingdales.com.*
Don't have a Bloomingdale's card yet? APPLY NOW
The SOCIAL
Program Hashtag: #GivePink
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bloomingdales
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bloomingdales
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bloomingdales/
App: http://www1.bloomingdales.com/media/about/mobile.jsp
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bloomingdales
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bloomingdales
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/bloomingdales/
App: http://www1.bloomingdales.com/media/about/mobile.jsp
All opinions are my own.
Makeup Monday: L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup
I don't like to admit that I am a girly, girl, but I am. I like to think I can rough it, or that I'm tough, or that if you dropped me in the middle of the forest I could find my way out and even build a fire. Sadly, none of that is true. I am a girly, girl. I like makeup, and perfumes and things that smell nice.
Which is why I'm totally in love right now with a certain foundation. Now, to be fair, I did receive this foundation free to try and review. Previously to this certain foundation, I only wore department store makeup, I never even thought about drugstore brands. (I'm not good at trying new things a lot.)
But I did. I tried L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup. Results? I LOVE it.
About L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup:
This revolutionary liquid-powder formula glides on and transforms on contact to a fresh, powder-like finish for a look that’s flawless,yet undetectable. The lightweight foundation with SPF 18 will make you feel like you aren’t wearing makeup at all!
To apply: Shake well. For best results, pour just a few drops onto fingers and apply directly onto skin. Not recommended for use with a sponge or brush.
L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude retails for approximately $12.95 for 1 fl oz. It is available in 12 shades and is available at mass food and drug retailers nationwide.
Which is why I'm totally in love right now with a certain foundation. Now, to be fair, I did receive this foundation free to try and review. Previously to this certain foundation, I only wore department store makeup, I never even thought about drugstore brands. (I'm not good at trying new things a lot.)
But I did. I tried L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup. Results? I LOVE it.
It doesn't take a lot (which I also love) and it stays on practically all day (which is another great bonus).
It really is kind of magic. Now, I still use the L’Oreal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream, but this makes everything so much better.
Here is a little bit of info about this liquid powder:
About L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude Liquid Powder Makeup:
This revolutionary liquid-powder formula glides on and transforms on contact to a fresh, powder-like finish for a look that’s flawless,yet undetectable. The lightweight foundation with SPF 18 will make you feel like you aren’t wearing makeup at all!
To apply: Shake well. For best results, pour just a few drops onto fingers and apply directly onto skin. Not recommended for use with a sponge or brush.
L’Oréal Paris Magic Nude retails for approximately $12.95 for 1 fl oz. It is available in 12 shades and is available at mass food and drug retailers nationwide.
Seriously. Try it for yourself. I highly doubt you will be disappointed.
Disclosure: I received complimentary product from SheSpeaks/L'Oréal Paris.
My opinions are honest and true, over and out.
Little Rock Food Truck: Southern Gourmasian
Good fashion.
Your mother's advice.
Delicious food.
However, when your mother tells you that you are getting too old to take fashion risks (like the pink dress pictures) that isn't always the most fun to hear.
Also, when your mother tells you that the dress looks like we could just patch three dresses together for the same look ... not the best.
Needless to say I did not buy that dress even though I am somewhat in love. What else is good about getting older? Really appreciating good, quality food.
As food trucks become more and more popular in Little Rock, AR, (Yay!) they are raising the bar and quality of the food that is served. Here's how you know you are eating good food, the quality, ingredients and amount leave you filled and satisfied. That's exactly what the Southern Gourmasian provides.
Here is there description from their website:
The Southern Gourmasian brings you a tasty alternative to fast food. High quality and affordable - all of our food is made from scratch on the truck daily by chef Justin Patterson! All of our delicious bread is from the fantastic and local Boulevard Bread Co. We will always avoid pre-made frozen food and will bring you fresh food to fit into your healthy lifestyle. We have found a love for delicious, real food that we want to share with everyone!
Today for lunch I had the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Sriracha Lime Butter.
Does this make you hungry? Because it should. The homemade pickles are also delish. There are lots more food trucks in Little Rock to mention, but I thought I would start with this one.
To find where they are each day either like their Facebook page, or check out their Twitter feed.
Food trucks and social media ... like my own personal heaven.
I may not be able to pull off that pink dress, but at least I can enjoy good food.
(By the way, I totally did order pleather pants for the fall... Sorry, mom.)
One-Pot Minestrone Soup
I adapted this recipe from Ellie Krieger from the Food Network. I did everything almost the same, but not.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
3 stalks celery, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 14-ounce can cut green beans
2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 14-ounce cans of low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow pasta
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
Add the diced and crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, kidney beans, to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer then add the pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
Weekend Wine: Luli Sauvignon Blanc
So another busy week, and another week where my blog was oh so empty. That is going to change this week. I promise. I put it on the bottle of wine that I am about to talk about... So you know I mean serious business.
This Weekend Wine is Luli Sauvignon Blanc. As a lover of almost all wines, my friend Melissa actually got me started on Sauvignon Blanc. Actually, my friend Melissa got me started on drinking wine in general. I think that deserves BFF status for life.
Back to the wine...
The 2012 Luli Sauvignon Blanc emits a lively mix of passionfruit, gooseberry and light grassy notes. The aromatics are fresh and mouthwatering. On the palate comes a broad-textured character from the limited lees contact, which unfolds into a refreshing and bright finish. Serve chilled.
This Weekend Wine is Luli Sauvignon Blanc. As a lover of almost all wines, my friend Melissa actually got me started on Sauvignon Blanc. Actually, my friend Melissa got me started on drinking wine in general. I think that deserves BFF status for life.
Back to the wine...
 |
| Image from http://www.luliwines.com/ |
The 2012 Luli Sauvignon Blanc emits a lively mix of passionfruit, gooseberry and light grassy notes. The aromatics are fresh and mouthwatering. On the palate comes a broad-textured character from the limited lees contact, which unfolds into a refreshing and bright finish. Serve chilled.
Price range: $15-20.
I highly suggest you find it in your area and give it a shot.
Would I ever steer you wrong in the wine department? Never! After all, you and I are besties!
Wine Weekend: Layer Cake Malbec
It's the weekend! Even though it's Saturday afternoon which means that half of the weekend is technically over, that's no reason not to celebrate with a new bottle of wine. I haven't been drinking wine that long in life, maybe four or five years but lately I have come to really appreciate it and I am trying to learn more about how each variety is made and in what region different types come from. It's a long journey but it's something fun to learn and it is a much better hobby than my current one of grad school. (Only four more months until graduation!!)
This is one of the latest ones that I have been researching and purchased. It's called Layer Cake ... (who doesn't want wine that also has the name cake in it?)
Here is a little 'about' the wine, straight from the website:
WINEMAKER NOTES
We allow Layer Cake Malbec to ripen thoroughly on the vine. We tend to harvest four to six weeks after all other neighboring vineyards – a crucial element to the wine’s quality. Each cluster, once harvested by hand, is then destemmed and sorted – also by hand. Born at the base of the Andes and fed by the purest spring waters … I love this place.
VINEYARD NOTES
The fruit for Layer Cake Malbec comes from a vineyard that is flanking the Mendoza River in Argentina -a rocky terrain, strikingly similar to that of Chateauneuf du Pape in the Rhône Valley. The once 5-mile- wide Mendoza River is now mostly vineyard, abundant with some of Argentina’s most pristine Malbec vines. A plethora of smooth cobbles on the top bewilders the eye and imagination as to how the vines actually thrive in such a rugged terrain. Silt and gravel make up the subsoil under the larger cobbles. Our vineyard sits at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
Climate: The climate is arid, with very low rainfall totals. Warm days are followed by cool evenings as the breezes from the Andes Mountain Range flow down to the Mendoza Valley floor.
TASTING NOTES
The 2011 is a classic Malbec, but undoubtedly Layer Cake. Big, brooding, black fruit, then rich earth, truffles and dark cocoa are at the front. The Sea of Stones vineyard is at its core, always evident with the thread of minerality that the deep alluvial cobblestones lend. This wine is so elegant in the mouth with fresh-picked blackberries, simmering chocolate sauce on the stove, and somewhere someone’s cooking bacon … so many layers, so little time. Drinking a bottle of this wine will certainly lead to, well, opening another. So get it fast and get a lot while you can. We can never make enough to satisfy everyone.
This is one of the latest ones that I have been researching and purchased. It's called Layer Cake ... (who doesn't want wine that also has the name cake in it?)
WINEMAKER NOTES
We allow Layer Cake Malbec to ripen thoroughly on the vine. We tend to harvest four to six weeks after all other neighboring vineyards – a crucial element to the wine’s quality. Each cluster, once harvested by hand, is then destemmed and sorted – also by hand. Born at the base of the Andes and fed by the purest spring waters … I love this place.
VINEYARD NOTES
The fruit for Layer Cake Malbec comes from a vineyard that is flanking the Mendoza River in Argentina -a rocky terrain, strikingly similar to that of Chateauneuf du Pape in the Rhône Valley. The once 5-mile- wide Mendoza River is now mostly vineyard, abundant with some of Argentina’s most pristine Malbec vines. A plethora of smooth cobbles on the top bewilders the eye and imagination as to how the vines actually thrive in such a rugged terrain. Silt and gravel make up the subsoil under the larger cobbles. Our vineyard sits at an elevation of about 3,000 feet.
Climate: The climate is arid, with very low rainfall totals. Warm days are followed by cool evenings as the breezes from the Andes Mountain Range flow down to the Mendoza Valley floor.
TASTING NOTES
The 2011 is a classic Malbec, but undoubtedly Layer Cake. Big, brooding, black fruit, then rich earth, truffles and dark cocoa are at the front. The Sea of Stones vineyard is at its core, always evident with the thread of minerality that the deep alluvial cobblestones lend. This wine is so elegant in the mouth with fresh-picked blackberries, simmering chocolate sauce on the stove, and somewhere someone’s cooking bacon … so many layers, so little time. Drinking a bottle of this wine will certainly lead to, well, opening another. So get it fast and get a lot while you can. We can never make enough to satisfy everyone.
Price ranges from $15-20.
But I only have one request if you drink this wine... that you eat it with cake!
My (first) July Birchbox!
So... I am a little late to the Birchbox craze ... but at least I am here! After having lots of friends do it, I thought I should do it, too. Since I am a girly girl and love all things makeup, hair products, etc., why not do this?
I could not have been more excited when I finally got my box!
The first thing I pulled out was the Icon INDIA hair oil.
Description from Birchbox:
A special blend of argan, moringa, and other oils repair and strengthen damaged hair, restoring its natural softness and shine.
I haven't tried it just yet, but I plan to tomorrow morning!
I'm not a huge lotion in packets fan, but these do look interesting...
Description from Birchbox:
Caldrea focuses on plant-based botanical ingredients that you can feel good about applying to your body. Rice bran, a staple in Japanese skincare, stimulates collagen to increase elasticity and hydration. Nourishing chia seed oil optimizes skin health. Plus, Caldrea products are vegan and free of phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, and artificial colors.
I'm going to throw this in my makeup bag for those days that I am out and about and need a little lotion.
Because I sometimes have eczema, I do like this.
Description from Birchbox:
This derm-developed formula provides prescription-quality relief for eczema and redness, as well as for garden-variety (but still frustrating) dry skin. The deceptively light formula replaces lost ceramides, boosting skin’s natural ability to retain moisture. In addition, a special blend of skin-repairing ingredients like folic acid prevent cell DNA damage and protect from pollution, UV exposure, and irritation.
I did try it last night and it's very smooth. Seems to also work nicely.
(Sorry this pic is so blurry!)
Who doesn't love a colorful lip?
Description from Birchbox:
The concentrated, vitamin-rich formula heals dryness while coating lips in long-lasting color. There are two trio options to choose from: the Neutrals trio features Get Naked, a classic nude; Kitty, a soft baby pink; and Dusk Till Dawn, a deep nude with beige undertones; while the Classics collection has Peony, a hot pink; Red Velvet, a snappy red with hits of pink; and Disco Fever, a flirty coral.
Then last but not least... bobby pins!
Overall I am very excited for the first Birchbox. So excited I can't wait for August to receive another one!
If you haven't signed up yet, check it out here.
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