Weekend Re-Cap

Oh my goodness, let me just say I am EXHAUSTED.  I think I need some R&R after my weekend.  I had a bachelorette party, and I can't party like I used to.  We began our journey with a trip to Chowder Fest in Portsmouth NH.  We tried tons of chowder, and my personal favorite turned out to be a chowder with sweet potato and bacon.  Yum!  After, we went to our hotel for cocktails, snacks, gifts, and some down time to refresh before our bus picked us up.  We took a bus tour to several breweries in the area.  We even ended up in Maine for one.  There were a couple of guys who were also on the tour.  I don't think they had any idea what they were getting into.... hahaha.  Everyone knows I'm a sucker for good local beers, and this tour didn't disappoint.  If you are ever in the Portsmouth NH area, I highly recommend it.  You can find out more on their website here... BEER BUS .  They also provided amazing homemade soft pretzels.  Perfect pairing for the beers were were consuming. 

I haven't been to Portsmouth in years, and I forgot what a cute, quaint, little New England town it is. Our bride seemed to have a wonderful time, and seemed really happy with everything how it came together, so I consider that a sign of success!  It ended up being pretty hot, so I was able to test out some of my summer beauty products.  I'll def have an upcoming review on some of my latest loves later this week. 

I can't believe this wedding is in less than three weeks! I remember a year ago when she asked me to be in her wedding and it seemed so far away.  Now the shower, and the bachelorette are down, I can't believe the big day is almost here.  Looking forward to watching one of my friends tie the knot. 

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.  I'll be back with some beauty reviews tomorrow! I may have done a little mini summer haul at Sephora Friday night... oops.  A girl needs good summer makeup right?   

Friday's Top Five!

It's Friday, and that means it's time for my top 5!

1. Country Concert Fun- I absolutely love country music.  I need more friends who are as into it as I am!  Luckily a group of us went to see George Straight, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill play at Gillette Stadium this weekend.  It was a blast!!!  We tailgated, and had spectacular seats.  It was an all around good time, all acts performed exceptionally well (except I think Tim could have played a bit longer), regardless, it was such a great time, and I look forward to more summer concerts!

2. Sunday Funday- One of the highlights of my week was an amazing pedicure that included both a leg and foot massage and a back and shoulder massage.  AMAZING.  It was exactly what I needed.  I picked a Tiffany Blue color for my toes.  It has a little sparkle to it, which is perfect for me (I wish I had a photo to show you).  Sometimes it is important for a girl to pamper herself a little.  I love hot stones and they did a number of treatments on my feet.  My feet finally feel ready for summer!


3. Curious Traveler Shandy- So this is a new find for me.  Sunday afternoon we had some beers in our yard.  As I've told you before I LOVE shandy beer in the summer.  The best part is there are so many new brands!  It seems everyone is on the shandy wagon!  This one had a little more lemon flavor than I've had in the past.  But if you really like lemon... you will love this.  And look at that label... super cute :)

4. Darwin- Below is a picture of my kitty Darwin.  He cracks me up!  If you read my blog, you know that Monday wasn't the greatest day for me.  But leave it to your pets to make you feel better.  I walked into my bedroom and there he was sitting on my shelf!  It cracks me up how many funny places they find to sit.  Anyways.... he makes my top five, because he makes me smile!

5. Naked 3- Everyone knows about Naked 3.  The reason it made my top five this week is because I find myself wearing it every day.  I didn't think I would use this pallet as much as I do.  When I got Naked 2, I was in love.  I didn't know how I lived without it (yes, I have issues...we know that lol).  When I saw Naked 3 I didn't think I would use it much because it is so pink heavy.  WRONG.  I can't get enough.  I keep trying to work some of my other pallets into my routine, and I am never as happy as I am with Naked 3.  I think with spring and summer being here, pink looks great on my lids.  If you don't own this pallet... I highly recommend it.  It has both shimmery and matte colors.  It's perfect for every day wear or a night on the town.

 (photo credit Sephora.com)

I hope everyone had a fabulous week!  I am off to a bachelorette party this weekend... and I am sure I'll have lots to say about that next week!  Cheers to a wonderful week, and an even more wonderful weekend :) />

Beach Bag Beauty Essentials

I got my first sunburn the other day, and while it hurt like hell, it was a pleasant reminder... summer is upon us!  I spend a lot of time at the beach and I have a few items I never leave home without.  I don't usually wear make up when I go to the beach, but there are few things I use to help me from getting burned.  I have super fair skin so SPF items are a must!  Here are a few of my beach bag essentials:

(From Left to Right- Bath & Body works hand sanitizer; Fresh Sugar lip Balm; Origins Perfect World Moisturizer; Dr. Jart+ BB Cream; Benefit Big Easy Better than BB; Supergoop sun-defying sunscreen  oil.)


1. Hand Sanitizer-  I hate germs!  And they are everywhere at the beach.  From the bathrooms to the sand (lets not even talk about what goes on in that sand), there are germs lingering everywhere.  Hand sanitizer is a great way to neutralize germs and still smell good.  The Sanitizer pictured is by Bath & Body Works.  It is from their Island Collection and is called "mango hibiscus".  I love the smell of this!  It is a fresh fruity scent and you don't get that chemical scent hand sanitizers usually carry.

2. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm- Can I just say I LOVE Fresh products! And this is no exception.  I have incredibly sensitive lips and with the slightest exposure to the sun they can burn.  I've had a lot of trouble finding SPF lip treatments over the years.  There are your typical drug store brands I've always been using, but they aren't exactly fun.  These Fresh lip balms come in a variety of tinted colors.  I have "Berry" pictured above.  It's a purply color that gives my lips a tinted color while providing be with the protection I need. A MUST HAVE!

3. Origins Perfect World Moisturizer- This one is the age defense with white tea.  SPF 25.  I always carry a moisturizer.  I'll usually put this on before I leave my house or use it to touch up every couple hours on the beach.  The sun really dries skin out, so I find putting this on as I'm leaving the beach helps alleviate dryness.

4. Dr. Jart+ BB Cream- This cream is SPF 45- which I LOVE!  It only comes in one shade, so it is very light.  I like the fact I don't have to try and figure out what color I am.  I can never ever put sun screen on my face because I'll instantly break out.  I used to use Clinique City Block, until I discovered this gem last summer.  This balm did a great job at protecting my skin, even in the harshest of sun light.

5. Benefit Bigger than BB- This is a new product.  I'm a HUGE fan of Benefit products, and when this was launched earlier this year, I had to try it.  It has more of a powder finish to it, which is nice.  I haven't had the chance to try this in the sun yet.  The SPF is only 35, so I may stick with my Dr. Jart+ BB Cream for the beach.  I'll keep you posted!

6. Supergoop Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil (SPF 50)- Can I say I LOVE this stuff!  It goes on like an oil so it is super moisturizing.  It acts as a sunscreen and an all-over moisturizer at the same time.  The SPF is about as high as you can get, so it offers optimal protection.  I can't wait to use this stuff all summer!

7. Make Up Remover Wipes-  (not pictured).  I use the CVS brand gentile wipes.  They easily cleanse your face and are very gentile.  I use them all over my body though.  They are perfect way to cool down, or keep your body from overheating.  Also, after you leave the beach they are a great substitute for a shower if you are going somewhere before having the opportunity to get cleaned up. Let's face it- you can get just as sweaty sitting on the beach doing nothing as you can working out!  I hear the Aveno wipes are great too, so I will probably try those this summer as well!

What are some of your favorite beauty essentials at the beach?!?!

Taking Care...

Hey Everyone... So this post is super late, and isn't the post I planned to write.  My plan was to tell you all about my "beach bag essentials", but that didn't happen.  I struggled with whether or not to write this.  Especially because I want to link up to FundayMonday, and this is not a fun post to write.  But after thinking it through, I know part of being a blogger is putting yourself out there, so your readers can really get a chance to understand who you are.

I suffer from pretty debilitating migraines.  I never know when they are going to strike, or for how long they will stay.  Sometimes they are gone in 6-8 hours, other times they have lasted 2+ days.  I started getting them in law school.  They got really bad when I was studying for the bar exam.  Towards the end of studying for the bar, I was pushing myself and trying to work through one, and ended up in the hospital.  I lost two days of studying, and from that point forward I realized a valuable lesson.  You have to take care of yourself to be  successful at anything.  So, now, when I get a migraine, I take care of myself.  Mostly, that means I take some migraine meds, make my bedroom as dark as possible (because light is the most painful thing when you have a migraine), and sleep.  It also means I have to suck it up and use a sick day.  This morning was a struggle because I have a lot going on at work right now, and really could not afford to miss work today.  But I reminded myself- if I didn't take the day to take care of myself, I would be no good to my clients.  I'm better 100% one day than 25% over two days.  I hate the feeling of looking out the window and seeing what a beautiful day I missed.  I hate thinking I wasted a day on nothing more than sleep.  Getting over this is a huge struggle for me, but I'm reminding myself taking care is just as important as enjoying every minute.

Turns out, taking care of myself today worked.  After nearly 18 hours of sleep, I feel much much better.  I can feel my headache lingering slightly, but I think I am out of the woods.  I think all too often we have so much going on, we tend to take care of everyone else before ourselves.  I was reminded today, that taking care of yourself is essential to being the best you can be... whether it be at work, in a relationship, or with friends and family.

Anyways- that's that! I'll be back tomorrow with my beach bag essentials!  I hope all of you had a fabulous Monday!

Friday's Fabulous Five

This week went by at light speed.  I don't even know what happened.  It was a 4-day week for me, but still, I feel like I blinked and it was Friday again.  What a wonderful thing to have happen!  Here are 5 things I'm loving this week!

1. This View....

I am a huge fan of summer, and this weekend made me so incredibly excited it's finally here!  I'm really lucky to be able to spend as much time as I want on Cape Cod, and I take full advantage of it every chance I get.  This is the beach by our house, and everything about this view makes me smile :)

2. OPI "Don't Bossa Nova Me Around"

This shade is from OPI's Brazil line.  Pretty much all of the colors in this line are very bright, except this one.  I picked this color up because I wanted a nude color that reminded me of sand.  I hit the jackpot!  Once I put it on, I instantly loved it.  It reminds me of sand on the beach, and it is the perfect color for work!  The color lasted several days, and I only needed two coats.


3. "81 Whacks" Red Indiana Pale Ale-

Ever heard the nursery rhyme... "Lizzie Borden took an axe, gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41"?  Completely appropriate nursery rhyme for children to learn, I'm sure you'd agree.  Anyways... in case you don't know... Lizzie Borden was famous for being acquitted of the murder of her parents in Fall River, MA in 1892.  Basically, she was the OJ Simpson of the 1800's.  I live just a couple miles from where the murders allegedly took place.  Lizzie is a bit of a legend in New England, and someone finally created a fabulous IPA in her honor.  A local sports bar nearby used to carry it on tap, but has stopped.  Luckily my friend Jessica (Hi Jess!) found this gem when she was in a craft beer store and picked it up for me.  Absolutely love this IPA...  Oh, and if you're a true crime junkie, like me, google Lizzie- you won't be disappointed ;)


4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Captivating-

This is part of Tarte's limited edition summer collection, but I have a feeling this is here to stay.  It is a beautiful coral shade, perfect for summer.  I tend to like cream blushes more than powder blushes.  I think they look more natural, where the powder ones can give you that caked-on look.  If you read beauty blogs, I'm sure you've seen tons of bloggers rave about the lasting power of the Amazonian Clay 12-hour blushes.  This shade is meets every expectation I had.  It lasts the entire day, and it looks very natural.  Two of the most important factors I think about when choosing a blush.  I'm obsessed with this color! 

5. Lastly, this week was a fabulous week at work for me.  I don't know if it was going back after a long weekend, and feeling completely rejuvenated, or if it was the short work week, but this week really flew by.  I worked an insane amount of hours, but loved every second of it.   I had a lot of amazing victories and am really thankful I get to wake up every day and do something I love, and work in a field I am passionate about.  

 Hoping you all had a wonderful week too!!! Cheers! It's FRIDAY!

Key Lime Pie!

There are three promises I can make you with respect to this recipe....

1. It's the QUICKEST pie you will ever prep.
2. It's the EASIEST pie you will ever make.
3. It's quite tasty!

That said... here is my favorite Key Lime Pie Recipe:

Prep Time- 5 minutes

Total Time- 4 hours

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup of water

1 Package sugar- free lime flavored gelatin

2 (6 oz.) containers fat free (or light) key lime pie yogurt

1 Tub frozen reduced fat whipped topping (i.e. cool-whip), thawed

1 Ready made pie crust

Directions:

1. In microwave safe cup, heat water on high, for 45 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes, or until boiling. Whisk in gelatin until dissolved.

2. In large bowl, whisk together gelatin mixture and yogurt.

3. Fold in whipped topping, and mix.

4. Carefully spread mixture into crust, refrigerate 4 hours.

This recipe actually comes from the back of a Keebler pie crust!  Who knew!?!?  

Enjoy!

Buxom Nudes & Brights: Review

Lip glosses are one of my most cherished beauty products.  I am especially fond of Buxom glosses.  I think they are hands down the best.  They last a long time, the colors are amazing, the shine is perfect, and I love the way they feel.  For those of you who don't know, many buxom glosses have a tingle to them.  They claim to plump lips, which, I'm not sure is entirely true.  I notice my lips are fuller, but I attribute it more to the color and fullness of the gloss.

I'm also especially fond of kits.  When there is a kit, I'll probably buy it.  I think it's a great way to try new products without much of a commitment.  Needless to say I was psyched when I saw this kit at Sephora:

Buxom Nudes & Brights! This kit is perfect.  3 nude colors, and 3 vibrant colors- perfect for summer! The thing I loved about this kit was getting 6 different colors for only $32.00.  Full-size Buxom glosses run around $19.00.  These sizes were about half the size of a regular gloss, but you're still getting much more.  Plus, I have a little issue, where I tend to lose glosses.  They end up in my purses, work bag, desk, bathroom, jacket pocket, you name it!  So I figure with six, if I lose a couple, I'm still good hahahaha!

First the Nudes:

From left to right... "Yes You", "Mwah", and "Dolly" (Swatches below)

"Yes You"- is a very, very nude color.  It's almost a plain gloss.  It looks great on it's own or over another color to add some extra shine, or tone down a loud color.

"Mwah"- has a more pink tone to it, but still is pretty nude.  It's perfect for work, or to wear with dark eye makeup, if your looking to tone down your lips.

"Dolly"- I've been a fan of this color for ages.  It's my go-to color.  I usually wear it to work or when I'm at home lounging around.  It's more pink than nude, but it's very pretty on.

Now the Brights...

From left to right... "Strut It", "Pucker Up", "Cha Cha Cha" (swatches below)

"Strut It"- Bright pink, almost like a watermelon hot pink.  It's perfect for summer.  I wore this with a black dress, pink flip flops, and a pink necklace.  It was prefect.

"Pucker Up"- Same idea, but purple.  It's a great summer color for day or evening out.

"Cha Cha Cha"- This is by far my favorite.  It's a neon red/orange color and it really makes my lips stand out and pop.  This color is perfect for those hot summer nights!

Here are the swatches:

As you can tell from the swatch, I am super fair-skinned. (Also, don't mind the scratches... I wasn't kidding when I said I was a crazy cat lady lol).  I really thought all of these colors looked great on me.  I rarely find a kit where such a wide range of colors look good on.  I think these colors would look great on any skin tone.  I was really surprised I liked the brights as much as a I did.  And... all of these colors had the lasting power of Buxom.  They felt great on my lips, were full-bodied, and had ample shine.

This kit is still available at Sephora, both online and in stores.  Price, quality, and the wonderful colors in this kit make it a must have!