Checking things off the old “to-do” list

In progress: cooking.

I have never been one who enjoys cooking. Not even a little. I love the outcome (food!) and I dislike the prep, waiting, and cleanup. Growing up I was always lucky to have a wonderful and talented grandpa who could put things that you wouldn’t think went together and make a yummy meal of them. He was the king of food improv, and when he would use cookbooks, would often combine a few recipes if he didn’t think one would give him the outcome he wanted. When I lived with other people I would cook, usually easy things and things they asked for. Then we got lazy and started ordering takeout, Jimboys drive-thru, or if we were really lazy, frozen dinners (blehhhhh).

I have been living solo for almost seven months now and have just within the past two months grown tired of random dinners. Some of my more creative dinners include raw carrot sticks in hummus with a chicken sandwich and some sort of fruit or additional (frozen) veggie. Another was some almonds, an artichoke, a black bean burger (no bread), and a banana.

I like things to be fast and easy, and if it isn’t, I won’t bother making it. So I have been asking other people what they cook so I can feed myself like an actual adult.

So far I have found that I really like non-pasta pasta. Out of all of the interesting variations out there, I love brown rice pasta the best. I’ve been making my own sauce with (gasp) real tomatoes, and I bought a steamer so I can have steamed veggies, not frozen. Any batch of food that I make is bigger than just one meal so I’ve been freezing it (great idea from my cousin) and saving the rest for later.

I’ve also found this food blog,  Spoon Fork Bacon, with pretty easy ideas if I want to get fancy. I tried the  Baked Asparagus Fries recipe the other night and they were really good. I didn’t do a dipping sauce but  if I make these when I have guests I totally would.

I have always brought my lunch to work, except for the few and far between days when I don’t have time to grab a frozen din out of the freezer. I recently bought a cute lunch bag that came with different containers and have nixed the frozen dinners. I hate making my lunch but I like that I’m eating fresh lunches and I feel like I’m spending less on frozen stuff. Except for the veggies and fruits-I have to buy these once or twice a week because, well, they’re fresh and I have to buy in small batches.

So that’s my big achievement for the year so far. And it’s a pretty big one because I still have to force myself to spend the time to cook when I’d rather be doing something else.

Shoes and moving

I have been out and about apartment hunting, which means tons of walking. Why keep trying to find parking when many of my options are so close? It was during a six block walk around the corner from apartment A to apartment B that I realized my current flats were no longer comfy. I’ve been scrimping and saving for the move and felt a little guilty about even thinking of buying shoes but they were much needed and will be well used. Plus, they were buy one get one free!

I’m also having dilemma’s of which neighborhood I’m going to settle in. I’m definitely not looking in my current area. It’s taken a turn for the worse within the past years and many real estate agents would describe it as “up and coming” which in real estate lingo really means, “Oh, it’s not the best neighborhood but it’s being revitalized. Just don’t go out alone at night and you won’t get mugged or shot.”

My target neighborhood is cute and I can walk almost everywhere. At the same time, I can get more for my money a little farther out. I have two weeks to find a place before all of my fab shoes and beauty products go into storage while I take up temporary residence at my aunts until I find what I’m looking for. Without over staying my welcome, of course.

And let me tell you, it’s hard to find an apartment with washer dryer hook-ups within my price range. In an ideal world, I’d find a super cute 1-2 bedroom with hook ups so I don’t have to fiddle with quarters,  laundry rooms, or worse, have to haul all of my clothes to a laundromat. Those apartments have been very few and far between, regardless of the area. I know that in the end I’m not going to find exactly what I want and I don’t have much time left but you can’t blame a girl for hoping.

Uh….what? DIY headboard!

So I purchased this headboard from West Elm last year. I had been stalking it forever and it finally went on sale- I thought I’d gotten a bargain!

She made hers: http://ana-white.com/2010/10/squared2-headboard-queen

I’m not the best at putting things together but I do have some handy Uncles that could have helped me make this. Lesson learned: next time scour the internet to see if you can find ways to make things instead of buy.

Beauty Sleep Essentials

 I keep a small basket of items I use regularly in my nightstand. I also sometimes stash things in my basket that I know I should totally use but don’t as a reminder to actually use them.

1. The neighbor that lives behind me is notorious for having parties that last into the wee A.M. hours. And they don’t invite me! To be fair, we aren’t acquainted. Since I’m not in attendance at these parties and I need my beauty sleep, I always stock plenty of ear plugs in my nightstand. I also always travel with ear plugs. I usually get mine from Target and buy whatever’s the cheapest. You can even find them in fun colors. My current selection is a bag of grey ones that were around $5 for 20.

2. I love girly, fruity fragrances. When it comes to home scents, I prefer more masculine scents. My three favorite notes are amber, sandalwood, and vanilla. I’m currently down to my last few sprays of Diptyque John Galliano room spray. It’s described as having a burning wood note but smells more cuddly than like camping. $60 for 150ml at beautyhabit.com. My next spray is a generic spritzer from Target simply called Amber Vanilla.

3. I love lip balm! My daytime favorite is Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with SPF 15 in natural mint. My bedtime fave is Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. It has a calming, subtle lemon scent and smooth texture that sinks into my lips and doesn’t settle into my pillow slip. $22.50 at fresh.com.

4. I love the light fragrance that candles give off while unlit. Among my favorite scents (yet again) are sandalwood, vanilla, amber, and other woody fragrances. My selection du jour includes K. Hall Designs Sandalwood vegetable wax candle. I’ve also used their driftwood candle and it was just as fab. $25 at khalldesigns.com.

5. & 6. I constantly moisturize my hands. The only hand lotion I will use (unless I’m really desperate) is Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream. The ultra nourishing formula has a suble, uplifting scent and doesn’t leave your hands feeling greasy. $19 at Sephora or Caudalie.com. I spend so much time hydrating my hands that I often forget about my feet, so I keep Bliss Foot Patrol cream in my nightstand. It’s loaded with exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids that help slough off dead skin while I sleep. $18 at Blissworld.com.

7. If I can swing it, I will sleep as late as I possibly can. On days where I can sleep in until the sun has risen, I need a sleep mask to block the flood of sunlight my bedroom gets in the morning. I prefer satin versions because they are soft and don’t leave creases on my face in the morning. This version is $8 at nicolejane.com. 

8. I sleep with my hair up because it drives me insane having my long hair down. I sleep kind of crazy and waking up because my hair is in my face is annoying. I always keep a stash of Goody elastics close at hand. I prefer the ouchless version because they are gentle on my hair.

It’s My Birthday Week!

 Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, la la la la la la, happy birthday to me (tomorrow). The photo above contains a sampling of my plans. I’ll have more blogs coming up the week of the 21st, after my birthday vacation is over.

“The Wizard of Oz had one thing right: it’s [life] ultimately about the journey and the characters who accompany you on it, not about the destination.” -Kelly Cutrone

Get Glam Sephora Must-Haves

 

  I have a nice little huge Sephora wish list of things I want to try and I wanted to share a few products because they are get glam basics that will make any girl feel like a princess. Guys, take note, V-day is coming up and all but the skin care item makes a great gift.

 1. Smashbox Heartbreaker Lip Shine, $19; I always tell myself that I am not allowed to buy more lip gloss. I have far too many glosses that I don’t even reach for anymore and they sit around unused and unloved. That said, I might cave in and buy melon-drama from their spring “Heratbreaker” collection. It’s smooth, sheer, gives just a hint of color, and a lot of shine. Sooo pretty.

 2. Smashbox Master’s class Beauty Breakthrough Kit, $59; I love being the first to try new products, especially ones that aren’t released individually or to the general public, and everything in this kit are “lab samples” (full size product that is being tested on the market, sans fancy packaging). This kit will receive its very own post once I buy it. I have to say that their Photo-Op under eye brightener and O-Glow lip gloss are two of my beauty must-haves and I love the idea of a creamier Photo-Op in a pot and the O-Glow with shimmer. In this kit, they are also testing a new cheek stain/gel blush (ala Tarte, only not as sticky), a new mascara with a tiny wand to reach all of your lashes, their award-winning brow wax in pencil form (ala Anastasia), and a HUGE palette filled with waterproof eyeshadow. When I first set eyes on the palette, I was mesmerized by the size because Smashbox could sell it for $59 alone!

 3.  Stella McCartney STELLANUDE Linen Mist, $59, 4.2 oz;  When I found out that this ubber feminine fragrance is now in a linen mist, I almost jumped for joy. Featuring notes of Moroccan rose, grapefruit, vanilla, and amber, the fragrance is soft, uplifting, romantic, and sensual all in one.

 4. Nars Orgasm Illuminator, $29; Achieve a radiant, O-esque glow day or night with this new sheer peachy-pink highlighter. Nars has expanded its Orgasm series over the past five years to include lip gloss, an extra glittery blush, nail polish, and now an all-over illuminator for face and body. A little goes a long way and the 1.1 fl oz tube is certain to last months on end.

 5. Kat Von D Solid Perfume Ring, $30; Want to carry fragrance where ever you go and be stylish doing so? The Kat Von D perfume ring is a gorgeous statement piece to touch up your fragrance mid-day or mid-party. It comes with two pans of fragrance, one pan each of sinner and saint. It’s also large enough to double as a weapon to ward off any would-be attacker or more stylish than brass knuckles in a brawl.

 6. Philosophy Miracle WorkerAnti-aging Retinoid Pads and Solution, $70; These are at the very top of my Sephora wish list. These anti-aging pads is with HPR for a bevy of skin beautifying benefits: reduced signs of aging, more smoothness and clarity, more radiance, less discoloration, and smaller pores. As with any retinol product, make sure you use an SPF of at least 15 daily to protect the skin. Yes, even on cloudy days and in winter.

New Year, New You: Home

I absolutely love my space as it is at the current moment, and even so, I still have the urge to constantly redecorate. It’s not in my budget at the moment to do an overhaul so I may just rearrange or perhaps spice things up with some new accessories. I’d love to share some of my fave inspiration photos of what I’d love to do with my space if I was able to. Perhaps you’ll be inspired, too. Also, for more inspiration, check out Amazon.com for decor books or apartmenttherapy.com for instant ideas by city or space type.

Click below to see photos.

Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque

 I have happily started a new skin care routine to kick off the new year and my skin has been looking extra glowy. Until today. I woke up and my face was blotchy, red, and irritated. So much for the skin care overhaul. I already know that the culprit is an anti-aging cream that might be too aggressive for my skin so it’s already been eliminated from my rotation of products.

To help calm my skin down, I enlisted the help of my dearly beloved Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Masque. It’s soothing, calming, hydrating properties helped relieve some of the irritation my skin was experiencing. I like to keep mine in the refridgerator for an extra chill factor. Besides using as a mask, it can also be used to hydrate the skin any time of the day, after theraputic facials, waxing, and on minor sunburns (you already know you should have worn sunscreen so I won’t lecture). It also features Chamomile Extract for extra skin soothing benefits.

Totally unrelated, I want to give my cousin and his wife a big congrats on welcoming a cute little baby boy into their family today! It’s been 14 years since there has been a baby in my family and we’re all excited to have one around again.

Snow Days + Philosophy Snow

 

When I was little, my aunt brought a truck full of snow home for me as a surprise and I made a snowman on my front lawn. It was very fun and all of the kids who walked by my house after school thought it was awesome. Even though I love building snow people, it doesn’t snow where I live and I am definitely okay with that. Shoveling snow from the drive way, waking up to find your car under a pile of snow, and driving in it never seemed appealing. If I want to experience snow in all its winter glory, I only have a two-hour drive. Confession: for senior skip day in high school my friends and I went to the snow in Lake Tahoe. Dear mom: now you know where that unexplained absence came from! Oops.

 

If you want to capture the essence of being in the snow without freezing, try Philosophy’s seasonal Snow line. The collection features shower gel, lip gloss, shimmering lotion, foot and hand cream set, and two other gift sets ranging in price from $10 for the gloss up to $25 for the gift sets.

Holiday Gift Guide: Sweet Treats

Need a gift for a real sweetheart? These fun and irresistable gifts are great for little ladies and grown up ladies alike. 

 1.  L’OCCITANE Limited Edition Creme Caramel Candle: $28, usa.loccitane.com; To create a calm and relaxing atmosphere, light this decadent scented candle to find your own comfort and joy this holiday. 

2. Fossil Candy Dome Ring Size 7: $40, fossil.com; This pretty metal and gemstone ring will be sure to please even the most finicky of recipients.

3. Hard Candy Just  Nails Polish; $5, select Walmart stores; The newly reinvented Hard Candy line is now exclusively sold at Walmart. With a larger color selection and variety of finishes (cream, shimmer, glitter) there is something for everyone. These also still include the signature ring in a coordinating color. Tip: Online is almost always sold out of these so input your zip to find a store nearest to you. 

4. Lush Creamy Candy Bubble Bar: $6.65, lush.com and stores; This bubbling bath treat smells so yummy you’ll want to eat it but it’s best enjoyed crumbled into your warm bath water for a deliciously scented bath-time escape. Bath bars can be crumbled into pieces and used for multiple baths. Best when kept in an air-tight bag or container. 

5. Sephora Sweet Candy Gloss Trio: $13, sephora.com; These glosses are slick and never sticky while having a slight shimmer and shine to make your pucker look irresistable. Set includes Guava Passion (my personal fave), Apple pomegranate, and Tropical Jasmine. Glosses are also sold individually in 8 different flavors for $7 each. 

6. Girl’s Juicy Couture Eat Candy Hoodie: $74.00 for toddler and child size 2-6, $98.00 for girls size 7-14, juicycouture.com; This soft velour-feel hoodie features glittery “eat candy” print on back. Matching pants and candy tee also available separately. 

7. Dylan’s Candy Bar Birthday Cake Batter Lip Saver: $8, sephora.com; DCB best-selling flavor “birthday cake” scented lip balm is hydrating and smells delish.