so close

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This three day weekend is only a few minutes away and I can barely contain myself. I keep trying to convince my boss to let us pop open a bottle of wine or a brewski at our desk…but the idea is just not flying around here. You can’t blame me for trying to add a bit of Mad Men flair to the office. I’m really looking forward to staying in town this weekend (usually not the case)…however, we are going to be out of town for the next four weekends so this will be a great way to rest before the madness. A group of my friends and I have been brainstorming staycation ideas around the Dallas/Fort Worth area to keep us busy, and let me tell ya – bored will not be in our vocab.  We are planning on working on our tans at the pool- I’ll be sporting something similar to this suit, sipping on cocktails, and flipping through one of my favorite magazines. Go carts, visiting the Rahr & Sons Brewing Company in Fort Worth, and grilling out are also on our radar. Ready set go… start enjoying the r&r of Memorial weekend guys.

Clarisonic Mia 2

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The Easter bunny was a total sweetheart this year… he surprised me with a Clarisonic. I’m not sure if you guys have seen these nifty machines pop up everywhere as much as I have, but it seems like every time I’ve been to the mall they are front and center at almost all cosmetic departments. This is what first drew my attention to them, and shortly after noticing them one of my best friends asked for one for her birthday. She swore it made here skin feel incredible after she first experienced it during a facial, so naturally I decided to put in on my wish list as well. I’ve been using mine for a couple of months now, and I truly do l.o.v.e it.

The Clarisonic Mia 2 is a face cleansing device that surpasses the basic ol’ wash cloth system – just wait you’ll be hooked. The rotating brush gently removes impurities up to 6 times more than your hands do. And get this…all it takes is 60 seconds. My favorite feature is when it pulses letting you know it’s time to switch from forehead (20 seconds) to cheeks (10 seconds each) to nose/chin (20 seconds). Luckily I don’t struggle with skin issues, but I have noticed an overall improvement in softness and evenness. If you’re still a bit skeptical be sure to check out the hundreds of raving reviews online- you’ll be reading for hours. There are also different brush heads available to target your skin type (normal, sensitive, delicate, acne) and you can also pick from 10+ colors!  As I mentioned above you can find these at various make up counters ( some ideas here, here, and here), and they retail for $149. Let me know if you think it deserves a thumbs up, even though I already know you will…Eeek!

Red Maps

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Each season of the year has its pluses, and in my opinion one of summer’s biggest pulls is vacation. As I’m sure you’ve heard me say on here over and over again, traveling is one of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy life. And thankfully this time of year usually involves some form of vacation for me, but as you know they all require planning. When I came across Red Maps, I knew this would be an ideal tool for my next globe trotting adventure. These hip and user-friendly city guides inform travelers of the BEST shopping, hotels, restaurants, and places of interest…etc in some of the world’s most popular cities. The thing that makes these guys stand out is that they don’t use advertising, therefore their “philosophy makes it easy to be true to what we do, to stay objective and produce a beautiful product”. The items are featured on the maps solely because they are truly worth visiting, which makes it easy to want to try them out while on vacation. Not to mention the founder (Jim Leniart) studied architecture, so the maps have killer graphics and are downright aesthetically pleasing. You can check out their selection here, and I personally would love to be in need of the “Sunny Days Set”. You don’t have to ask me twice to hop on a plane headed to the vitamin-D filled beaches of LA and Barcelona. Happy travels this summer everyone.

 

May florals

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There’s something about May that always reminds me of bright flowers -perhaps it’s the fact that we celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day during this month. Have you thought about what you’re going to get your mama on Sunday? Hint: A bouquet of flowers is always appreciated. Well I’ve been extra attracted to floral prints lately, and I’ve especially been on the look out for a floral maxi dress to wear to the many outdoor concerts, weddings and parties coming up this summer.  John Mayer and Mumford anyone? The great thing about floral prints is that they look great on everyone and this spring/summer they’re easy to find. I’m loving the idea of a comfy dress like this one or a short flare wedding option like this one. If you spot any good ones, please do share. xoxo.

MAC {Silly} Lipstick

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My lastest obesession has been freshening up my make up with Spring colors, because all of the girly palettes that have been released this season are just too darn cute to pass up. Sometimes during my lunch break I like to sneak away to Northpark, since it’s less than 3 miles from my office. Yes it’s a major temptation to stop by every day, but ladies I do try to limit my visits. Yesterday I was at Nordstrom looking for the world’s least exciting item, Spanx, and after I finished up with that I decided to take a short peek in the cosmetics department. I snagged the Silly lipstick, which is from their Fashion Sets Collection that launched yesterday (check out all of the other colors and products too!). If you’re familiar with MAC at all…you know that their limited edition colors sell out QUICK!! So in other words, after your done reading this you better head straight there. No really, go!  Sadly. they have already sold out on online, but if you hurry you can probably find a few tubes left at counters in department stores like Nordstrom and Dillard’s.

Silly is a lighter hot pink. It applies on your lips with a bit of sheen, but that fades away after a few minutes and it definitely becomes truly matte. MAC’s matte formluas aren’t heavy on your lips which is a plus, but the minus is that they don’t mosturize. However,  I don’t ever expect matte lipsticks to hydrate my lips…the pigmentation is really the selling point for me. The color stays on for hours, so you shouldn’t have to reapply much throughout the day. Keep your eyes natural <  slap on a burst of Silly on your pout < Your look is complete.

Easter

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Happy Easter everyone! Growing up this was never a holiday surrounded by traditions, but one thing was for sure we were always at the beach. In Costa Rica, everyone migrates to their private beach houses or oceanfront hotels to celebrate Holy Week..yep you heard right the WHOLE week is a national holiday. Wouldn’t that be nice? Well sadly this year I did not travel abroad to visit my parents or sisters, but we are celebrating with my husband’s wonderful family. Our plans for the day are…to sleep in, head to church, spend the day with loved ones, eat a delicious brunch in my in-laws’ amazing back yard , and open up our Easter baskets; which in my opinion you are never too old for. Hope it’s an enjoyable and restful day for you guys too!

The Honest Company

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Jessica Alba may be known for her bombshell looks, cute rom-coms, and sharp fashion sense- but most of us would not tag her as a CEO. That’s right guys, the girl is smart too. Let me introduce you to Jessica’s lastest endeavor as an environmental activist: The Honest Company. The idea behind this business formed after she bacame a mother in 2008, and she grew quite frustrated by the lack of true environmentally safe products out in the market these days. She partnered with Christopher Gavigan, the former CEO of non-profit organization Healthy Child Healthy World and boom…the rest is history. The brand features plant-based diapers, natural bath supplies, and gentle home cleaning products – among many other ahhhhmazingly packaged and reasonably priced items. And of course you don’t have to be a mom or kid to give them shot, because this brand compares a lot to other popular household names like Method and Seventh Generation. They also have a really convenient “bundle & save” option where you can pay a subscription to get a monthly supply of diapers/wipes or home essentials delivered right to your door step. Doesn’t get much easier than this right? You can bet I’ll be trying these green goodies out at my house asap.