Sunday, February 28, 2016

Blue Jeans, White Shirt

Today felt like the first hint of spring. It's funny since objectively 55 isn't warm, but after freezing winds it felt like summer. We kept it casual today, running some errands and eating brunch. We were surprised with a late lunch with Preston's dad and grandma. It was so nice to see them.

When in doubt on what to wear, I go for the Sunday Funday shirt. I paired it with some high-waisted skinny jeans. I have been a bit obsessed with the high waist trend, such a different look than the super low rise jeans of my high school days. Since it is still February, I wore ankle boots and a fuzzy sweater (both old finds from Nordstrom Rack). I'm forever carrying my Cuyana tote. In keeping it easy, I whipped my hair up in a high pony (despite Preston showing me the ponytail/intelligence chart-I doubt its validity.)

Are you ready for spring? I secretly wish there was one more good snow day left.
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Sunday, February 21, 2016

Photo Diary | Seattle

Preston & I have caught a bit of the wanderlust bug. It might have been spurred on by a quarter-life crisis, but I am excited to see the places it will take us. Our goal is to have one domestic and one international trip a year-though we wouldn't mind surpassing that. And considering we were in Seattle over Valentine's, and in April, we are headed to Taiwan-we just might. So here is to more photo diary posts!

We spent a total of about 3 full days, taking a couple of red eye flights to make the most of our time. The jet lag got to us a bit, but that Seattle coffee perked us right up. Plus, it helped to wake up earlier to make the most of our days. We were grateful to our friend's for picking us up late at night at the airport and letting us crash with their kitties. From there, we took the bus to downtown and began our weekend of long walks and delicious food. My kind of weekend.

Of course, we started out at Pike Place market. It was such a lively atmosphere. I loved all the colours of the fresh produce and the views of the sound. We walked up a little tucked away staircase in search of coffee and breakfast foods to Storyville. I could have sat there all day, viewing the market from a cozy chair with a warm latte. They even had a 'Sorry' style board game which-being the board game junkies we are-we had to test out. After being sufficiently fueled up, we continued our exploration of downtown.

Original Starbs ^^

It was an amazingly blue day, uncharacteristic for Seattle. We walked through the sculpture park and by the Space Needle. We had a few hours before our Airbnb check-in and decided to go to the Experience Music Project Museum. The exhibits were scarily perfect for us-indie games, Hello Kitty, fantasy, and sci-fi.



The next day began with-you guessed it- more coffee. We went to the cutest cafe in our temporary neighborhood, Queen Bee, for crumpets. Delicious. Then, we walked up past all the Northwestern homes to Volunteer Park. We are a little obsessed with Olmsted's life and work after reading The Devil in the White City. It was cool to expand our list of 'Olmsted parks visited' with the Olmsted Brother's work. Our only disappointment was the water tower was closed (and unable to bypass like we did at Watkins Glen).

Valentine's themed house ^^

For lunch, we dived into a ginormous noodle bowl at In the Bowl. Mmm, perfect for the drizzly, gray weather. The true Seattle experience.

Looking back we did so much this day. We stopped by Twice Sold Tales, a quirky used bookstore with free-roaming fluffy cats. We then took a Lyft up to Fremont. Whenever we are traveling a city we like to get out the center a bit to explore different neighborhoods.

We stopped by the bustling Fremont Brewing and visited the troll. It was quite the popular attraction. We ended the day at Kerry Park to check out the city views.



For our last day, we wandered around Washington Park Arboretum. We made the mistake of diverging from the path into sinking mud puddles. The perpetual moisture is definitely not something we are used to on the east coast.

Before we headed to the airport we made a final run downtown, walking around Pioneer Square. I loved the older architecture in this part of the city. Our 9pm flight had us arriving in New York at 6 am. I was feeling quite a bit off the first few days back, but now we are back to our normal routine. And ready for our next adventure. 





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Friday, February 12, 2016

V-Day Treats

Valentine's falls on a long weekend for me. Preston and I are taking advantage of it with a quick trip to Seattle. I can't wait to drink coffee and explore. To get a cheaper flight, we are flying out on Sunday. That kinda kills the romantic dinner plans-we will just have to reschedule that. I figured I would just spend the holiday with some V-day inspired goodies instead. Perfect whether you're single or in a relationship. Here's the itinerary: A fun and easy nail art sesh with some nail art stickers. Follow that up with a Lush bubble bath and a thought-provoking yet laugh-inducing read like Aziz Ansari's Modern Romance.


What are your V-Day plans?


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Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Nail Art | Valetine's Day Stickers

I have some super simple nail art to share today. Stickers. I am pretty sure they are for children, but I had a blast adorning them to my nails in random patterns. I am all for fussing with dotting tools and a million bottles of polish, but sometimes you just don't got time for that.

I was surprised how easily these applied and how nice they turned out. They were a bit more fussy to remove. The stickers are from Duane Reade and the base is American Apparel Office, a sage-y seafoam.

Would you rock nail stickers?


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Monday, February 8, 2016

Beauty Favourites | January 2016

Well, it's not the beginning of February, but it's not the end yet either... so I will just sneak in this January favourites post. This month has been crazy, so I kept it simple with trusty standbys and simple new products to keep a fresh face throughout a hectic, long day week month.

To fake a glow, I used the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette. All the shades are super flattering and provide a lit from within look that doesn't look overly sparkly. I love to mix the two blush shades. For eyes, I picked up a few new products. First, I finally purchased Nars Kalahari. I have been lusting after this rosy duo for what seems like forever. Both shades are perfect for all over the lid. I pair it with Wet n Wild Creme Brulee as a highlight. For tight-lining, I have been using Julep's When Pencil Met Gel liner in Bronze Shimmer. The deep brown is perfect for everyday. I also ordered a new eyelash curler from Birchbox. It's a Tweezerman in rose gold. Curling my lashes really opens up my eyes and makes me look instantly more awake-which was much needed this month.

As a Birchbox sample, I received the Foreo Day Cleanser. It's been the perfect cleanser for winter mornings with a citrus scent and hydrating texture. After toning, I add a layer of Josie Maran Pure Argan Milk. It adds an extra layer of protection from harsh winter weather. For foundation, I have been loving Nars Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc. It's a classic. To finish up my make-up, I have been going with Nars Audacious Lipstick in Anna. It's a great everyday shade, with a bit of a mauve twist to keep it interesting. 

Even though it's still winter, I have felt like brightening my perfume choice and have gone from Elizabeth & James Black to White. It makes me feel a bit more springy. I've been adding a bit of pastels to my manis with Essie's Mind Your Mittens with an accent of Rock at the Top for some glam.

What were your beauty favs this month?
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Friday, February 5, 2016

UD x Gwen Lipstick Swatches

I couldn't wait to order the UDxGwen eyeshadow palette and now the whole collection is released-cheeks, brows, & lips. I haven't purchased anything else-yet-but received a little sampling of the lipsticks with my eyeshadow order. I loved the colours and wanted to post a few swatches. There are even more in the collection, reds, nudes, pinks, and purples, with varying finishes: sheer, matte, creme.

Ex-Girlfriend- Sheer Nude (I'm picky about nudes & I actually like this one!)
714- 'Mega'-matte, slightly orange-toned red (really love the finish on this.)
Rock Steady- A deep, vampy red, typical lipstick finish (love these shades, probably own way too many of them.)
Firebird- A fuchsia pink. (Looked more purple in the pot (and iridescent), but I am in love with this purple-pink shade.)

I might just have to pick up a few of these in full-size. The gold stripe packaging looks so glamourous. Plus, the typical lipstick tube application will probably be much easier than these little sample pots. 

What do you think of the UDxGwen collection? Any lipstick or lip liner recommendations?
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