Face it

I realized after talking about all of the face products I use last week that I left off two important ones.  I already mentioned my love of the Paula's Choice line of products but these are the two non-Paula items that I include in my routine.

First up, the Clarisonic.  There is no shortage of love for the Clarisonic which I am sure you are aware of if you have ever opened a ladies magazine or read another blog.  People are pretty enthusiastic about it and I have to agree with them.  I resisted at first.  I exfoliated by hand for years and didn't see why I needed a mechanical wand to help me do it.  Well, forget mechanical wand, this is a magic wand friends, and it really does seem to get the face cleaner and just sorta get the blood flowing and refresh your skin.  I use it twice a day and my face thanks me.

The other item that I use daily is Josie Maran's Broad Spectrum Argan Oil SPF  40 Sunscreen.  I really love this stuff.  It smells terrific, it is light and not too greasy and does not contain the harmful ingredients that a lot of sunscreens contain.  I feel good about putting this on my face.

So now you know everything there is to know about my face!  I'd love to hear about your face. What products do you use and love?

Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tune for your listening pleasure

The Smiths, Jeanne

This song was on repeat last week.

Wish List

                     

From Top: 

Asos Smocked Dress in Floral and Paisley Border Print.  Cute.

Lots of news plants and old plant love going down around here. 

JCrew Vintage Cotten Tee.  These are my absolute favorite shirts.  They fit perfectly.  The pic doesn't really do it justice at all.  I want them in every color.  

Crate and Barrel Olivier Flatware.  I like.

Novica Wool Rug - Earth Volcano.  Pretty sure this is gonna happen.

Lazy Lady Brownies

I love dessert.  That is so true, it's an understatement.  I have it often.  I fight the urge everyday to eat it every second.  Okay, so you understand right?  I love it.  Right now I'm in a gluten free/dairy free/sugar free dessert phase.  Yeah, I go through food phases.  Sometimes I go super healthy and sometimes I just don't want to be bothered, just give me the damn sugar and leave me alone.  Wanna know what's so great about the Trader Joe's Gluten Free Brownie Mix?  It's good for when I'm mixing up my phases.  Like yeah, I want something sweet and not terrible for me but  I'm lazy and don't have the 50 ingredients I need or the 50 hours it takes to bake it.  Enter the TJ's GF Brownie mix.  Add egg and oil (I use grapeseed oil) and voila you have yourself some tasty brownies.  Normally, I steer very clear of any sort of box mix.  I'm a huge snob about it in fact. But the ingredients are few and far between for these brownies. Sugar, Brown Rice Flour, Tapioca Flour, Arrowroot Powder, Sea Salt and Xantham Gum.  Not bad right?  Maybe not sugar free but beggars can't be choosers okay?  I first bought this for Felix's ice cream sundae birthday.  I wanted to have brownies for a topping but I was already baking other treats.  So I took a shortcut here and everyone really liked them.  I've made them about 20 times since.  My favorite is to eat these with some coconut milk ice cream.  Delicious and not that terrible for you.  Win and sorta win.

Wash Your Face

After I wrote about the hair products I am using my girlfriend suggested I write about the face products I use.  She recently started using the same products and was digging on them.  Full disclosure: I do not have perfect skin. I still get the occasional break out and have some skin discoloration after my two babies, that seems to want to stick around forever.  Such is life, accept it and move on.  And you keep pretending like you don't notice it. Deal?

Back to the products I use.  I was introduced to the Paula Begoun brand about 10 years ago.  Before she put out her own products, she was a sorta watch dog on the cosmetic industry.  She wrote a few books. In her books and website she would review products and tell you what ingredients were worthless or even potentially bad for your skin.  What was worth your money and what was not. She helped you wade through the pretty packaging and big promises that are prevalent in the industry and which we all fall victim to.  After awhile she decided to put out her own line of very simple items without the gimmick factor.  I tried it and was hooked.  I now use her Earth Sourced line which is 99% natural and does not contain parabens.  It's wonderful.  Like, I said my skin may not be perfect but it is infinitely better than it was prior to using these products.  And also, because of the information she puts out, I am much more informed about what is in products and how much of it is bullshit and therefore I'm less likely to fall for the pretty pick up lines of the cosmetic industry.  Yeah, I'm bad ass.

* In addition to the Earth Sourced, I use the 2% BHA Liquid, RESIST BH9, Extra Strength Acne Treatment and the Antioxidant Serum.  And prior to using the Earth Sourced line I used the Skin Balancing Cleanser and toner.  

Images via Paula Begoun's Paula's Choice.

Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes for your listening pleasure

The Velvet Underground, Who Loves the Sun

How To Worry Less About Money

I've mentioned the Brain Pickings digest once before on this here blog. I hope you've found the time to check it out.  This Sunday's newsletter featured thought provoking topics such as "How to Worry Less About Money" as well as Neil Gaiman's advice on courage and the creative life and why going back to school may be a bad idea.  Sounds good, no?  I was particularly taken with the excerpts from the book "How to Worry Less About Money" by John Armstrong as part of The School of Life series.  I have been eyeing that series prior to this because, well, I like the idea of having a School of Life.  Who couldn't use some of that?  And in book form no less?  I was also thinking of them as possible graduation gifts too.  But this title in particular is a lesson I think I can benefit from. I have a complicated relationship with money.  I may not have vast amounts of it, but I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food to eat.  Still it is something that I worry about.  And probably more than I should.  Part of it is just being an adult.  We have children and pets to care for. My husband has his own business and I am in charge of handling our finances and that makes me hyper aware of everything that is coming in and going out.  I think that has had a negative effect on how I view money.  I'm a little too aware, if that makes any sense.  Sometimes I need to just let go. This existed in some form even before I became such a grown ass woman.  I've always kinda struggled with over thinking purchases and buyer's remorse.  In fact, did you notice that in my previous post about Heath Ceramics?  I couldn't pull the trigger and buy something because there were so many lovely options and in my head spending $100+ on ceramics was being weighed against everything else.  My kid needed a nap and I needed to over analyze everything that I wanted to purchase and come back later.  So I left empty handed.  Is this healthy?  I'm thinking no.  And I'm wondering how much of this is inherited from what I saw growing up versus what I live with today and how much of it am I going to teach my kids?  This is pretty important stuff.  Stuff that every adult, I think, will face and yet we don't really talk about it.  So this book is going in my Amazon shopping cart.  But I may to have to think about it for a couple days before I actually click 'purchase'.

p.s. I'm kidding about the Amazon thing.  I'm not that bad.  I don't want you getting the idea that I'm that cray-cray.  I'm just mildly cray. 

p.s.s. Any opinions on these as graduation gifts?  Good idea or no?

The Weekend

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  We sure did.  The weather was beautiful and after a very busy week(s) we were able to relax and spend some quality time together.  We had movie nights on both Friday and Sunday and just relaxed.  Together, which we've been lacking in lately.  Saturday we went to Umamicatessan for the first time, where we ate our combined weights in burgers, fries, knishes, brussel sprouts and donuts.  My first knish ever and it was delish.  And I never turn down a brussel sprout.  These were so good.  Also, my family treated me to a visit to Heath Ceramics which was pure ceramic heaven.  Truth be told, I was so overwhelmed by all of the ceramic goodness that I couldn't decide on a purchase. I wanted everything.  Seriously.  And well, I don't have a bank account for that.  So I am planning another visit soon where I will be more prepared to actually leave with something.  We also stopped by some bookstores, including the Lacma bookstore and just had ourselves a nice day of city exploring.  It was good one.  Hope yours was too.  

From Top:

Daddy Daughter love while waiting for our donuts

City explorations

Heath Ceramics

Sunday Morning snuggles

Wish List

Some things I found fit to fancy...

From Top:  

The Kate Spade NY Saturday Weekender Bag.  Seriously, coolness.  I have been eyeing this thing for weeks now. We have a few trips planned for this summer and I think I need this bag, for reals.

I need a new case for my iphone.  I drop my phone a lot and go through them pretty quick.  This one from Kate Spade NY Saturday  is fun, no?  This was a big song for me in the sixth grade.  

Remember I saw this bag on Madewell but it wasn't available? Well, now it is!  The Madewell Marfa Bucket Bag. Go get it.

Weck Jars.  I want.

La Derniere Vague.  I heard about this through Instagram and it sounds bitchin' with a capital B. Featuring artists such as Thomas Campbell, Ed Templeton, Harmony Korine, Ryan McGinley, Barry McGee and so on.  See?  Capital B. 

* You might have noticed from the 2 (!) bags on the list this week,  that I am in a bag kinda mood.  I have been searching for a great beach bag for awhile now and am frustrated to have not found "the one."  Do you have any recommendations.  I want a nice one that is durable and big enough to lug towels, books and beach toys. And, for it to look cute too.  Asking too much maybe?  

** You might have also noticed from the 2 (!!) Kate Spade NY Saturday items I listed that I am in a Kate Spade kinda move.  Her new Saturday line is so dang cute.  I kinda tried to resist it for awhile because everyone was blogging about it but I can resist not further.  I want it all.  

10 Item Wardrobe

I'm kinda obsessed with the idea having a "uniform" when getting dressed.  This is something that did not appeal to me at all in my younger days.  It sounded so boring and having endless amounts of clothes to choose from every day, to fit whatever mood I was in, was what I was into.  But now, I just don't really want to be bothered.  I don't have the time or inclination to spend all this time thinking about what to wear and finding a place to keep all of it.  I got better stuff to do.  Or at least, other stuff to do.  Don't get me wrong.  I love clothes.  Just in a different way.  So I read this article on Huffington Post a little bit ago and have not stopped thinking about it since.  I'm always trying to whittle down my closet because I really do feel that with less choice it's easier for me to make actually make a choice.  But just as fast as I get rid of clothes, I end up accumulating a bunch more stuff, and most of it not quality, just more quantity. But I never ever thought about whittling it all the way down to 10 pieces!  I'm not even sure I can do that.  But I'm seriously thinking about it.  If not 10, maybe 15 to start with?  It seems like it would make things so much easier.  Instead of 15 dresses and 10 skirts (half of which are cheapos from Forever 21) I would just have 2 or 3 of my favorite dresses to wear.  Easy and done.  And it would also force me to focus more on the quality pieces that I really want to wear over and over.   What do you think?  Could you do it?  Would you want to?

My "uniform" right now is basically stripes.  Striped shirt and jeans, skirt or shorts and flats.  It's insane how many striped tops I own.  Stripes and flats are something I have worn since high school and I don't think it will ever change.  

Image from Breathless, via sanfrancine.com

My Ten Item Wardrobe by Jennifer L. Scott via Huffington Post

Tuesday Tunes

Tuesday Tunes for your listening pleasure

Jack Nitzsche, I'm The Loneliest Fool

Kim Gordon Sounds Off

Kim Gordon is just cool.  Am I right?  It's like she can't help it.  From her music, to her clothing lines, to her T.V. guest spots (Gilmore Girls!) she is...yep, cool.  I loved this interview in Elle where she roasts chicken, talks her split with Thurston Moore (ugh), her popularity with younger dudes and generally comes off just as cool as you or I imagine her to be.

Photo via Elle.com, Kim Gordon Sounds Off, Elle Magazine

Mama Club

It seems like babies are everywhere right now with new ones just arriving, just about to arrive or just being made.  Here are a few ideas on how to treat the new mom in your life right.

From Top:

Food, food and more food.  This is my go-to, well for everything, but especially mom's with new babies.  It's such a relief for a new or busy mom to not have to worry about another meal.  What I like to is give something sorta healthy like granola or whole grain muffins for the morning and (probably lunch and snack too) and then comfort food like Ina Garten's Turkey Lasagna for dinner.  I can't tell you how grateful we were for the food people brought us. And it does not have to be home made, take out from their favorite restaurant is easy peasy.

Pick a chore, any chore.  Vacuuming, sweeping, laundry, grocery shopping, these are all things that a new mom has little time or energy for.   So pick a chore and do it for her.  You have to go to the grocery store for yourself anyway right?  Ask her for a list and then do her shopping while you do your own.  Or just come over and insist that she take a long bath and read a magazine while you watch the baby. Any help at all feels like the greatest gift ever. After Anita was born, my friend Kristina brought over lasagna and then told me to go lie down while she vacuumed my house.  What the what?  I couldn't believe it and it seemed kinda ridiculous to have my friend over to do chores but really it was such a huge weight off my shoulders and so very kind of her.  She's pretty much a saint in our house.

Pajamas.  I pretty much lived in pajamas the first week (or so...)  I have the J.Crew Vintage Pajama Set and wear them constantly.  They are perfect for new moms because they have buttons so they are breast feeding friendly and they make you feel more put together than walking around in sweats and a gym shirt.

Make a date.  A regular, on-going one.  Maybe weekly or every other week, for just an hour.  She needs it and probably won't ask for one for awhile, so you should.  At first it could just be to come over and watch Mad Men together, or do face masks or eat ice cream, or go on leisurely walks.  Just be there and give her some adult conversation.  It's something we take for granted and she may not even realize she is missing it. It's amazing how lonely it can get without another an adult around to acknowledge your presence. 

Happy Mother's Day to you and yours!

Mama Brain

A few links I found on my web travels that I thought you might enjoy, especially with Mother's Day a-coming...

An incredibly honest essay on the parent child relationship. Reading it was like a punch in the gut. You just feel it.  Full stop.

Made me laugh.  Nailing it.

Sometimes it feels like everyone is having babies and that it's such a easy thing .  Natalie of Nat The Fat Rat talks about dealing with not getting pregnant.  Because more people should talk about it and she did it well.

I really related to what Elizabeth from The Littlest wrote here about bringing home a brand new baby.  Particularly the parts about dreading the night and wondering if you would ever be carefree again.  Yep, I totally felt like that.

Um, can I have an Epic Playdate too?  This sounds seriously radical.


Image via Today.com
The essay (first link) is via Joslyn at Simple Lovely and the second link is via Cup of Jo.

Mother's Day Wish List

Mother's Day is this Sunday.  I can't wait.  Here's a few gift ideas for any of you still searching for the perfect gift for your special mama...

From Top:

Then Again by Diane Keaton. This book by Diane Keaton is interesting for many reasons including the fact that she dishes on her relationships with Woody Allen, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino, the making of Annie Hall and her all around incredible life .  But the book is primarily about Keaton's relationship with the most important person in her life, her mother. The book includes diary entries by her mother such as one where her mother describes life at 60 and Diane then does her own diary entry assessing her own life at the same age.  It's a fascinating look at the mother-daughter relationship as well as family, aging and death.  I think this would be a great book for you and your mom to share and discuss.

Mother's Day Tea.  This is the gift we give my mom every year and we look forward to it all year long.  It really is so fun.  We get to pick out fancy hats, fancy tea and eat our weight in scones with cream, tiny sandwiches and ice cream sundaes.  It's such a nice tradition to share with my Anita and my mom. If you are in the Orange County area, we go to The Tea House on Los Rios.

Introduce her to an awesome TV show she missed.  How much fun is it to discover a new show and then get to watch every episode back to back?  Share your favorite show with your mom and then bond over all your favorite characters and episodes.  (In addition to Friday Night Lights which I think is great mom material, there is also Mad Men, Gilmore Girls, The Sopranos, The Wire and Homeland to name just a few).

Her favorite treat to indulge in.  Does your mom love ice cream?  You could get her an ice cream maker and a cookbook to go with it and then spend time together making your favorite flavors.  They are pretty fun and easy to use.  Or if you would rather skip the work and get to the good stuff, Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream delivers and comes in some pretty amazing flavors.  Who wouldn't love gourmet ice cream delivered straight to their door?

A Girl's Night In/Sleepover.  It's probably been awhile since you slept under the same roof with your mom and when you did it was probably because of some holiday or special occasion.  But what if spending time with your mom was the special occasion?  Plan a night all around her, maybe doing something you did together when you were younger or just fun girl stuff like face masks, manicures, movies and dessert.  Your mom would love it.  I promise.

Clare Vivier Monogram Bag. All of the above gifts are pretty budget friendly and could be combined or not (Book/DVD combo, DVD/Ice Cream etc.).  This is the more decadent of gifts if you are looking to really treat your mom and give her something to show off.  I wish I had every single Clare Vivier bag, monogrammed, of course.  I bet your mom does too, even if she doesn't know it.

Wish List

                       

From Top:

Peonies. My most favorite of flowers are in season.  Happy days.

Ed Ruscha, Rosemead.  Featured in The Getty Museum's In Focus: Ed Ruscha. 

I love Ed Ruscha.  And I love this photograph.  I drive down Rosemead somewhat frequently and know this building. This makes me feel nostalgic for drives with my grandparents. 

Heath Ceramics.  Love, love, love, obsessed.  I am such a total sucker for ceramics. I am so excited for an upcoming trip to the L.A. shop and to spend the gift certificate that has been burning a hole in my pocket.

Going Clear Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief.  I mean this whole "thing" is fascinating.  I read the Vanity Fair article with my jaw on the floor. Looking forward to borrowing this book from my dearest girl and kicking off summer time reading.

Sea Salt Soap.  Okay, that anchor had me at hello.  Anchors are another thing I am a total sucker for.  (As a side note: apparently anchors are all the rage now, very trendy.  They are everywhere.)  Anyway, packaging aside, I hear this soap is pretty dynamite.  My only problem is that I might have a tough time taking it out of the box.

Hair Today

Two weeks ago I had my hair did.  Nothing drastic, just the same old cut - long hair and bangs.  Ever since having kiddos I have trouble fitting in a cut.  It doesn't seem like it should be so difficult, but somehow it is for me. So after more than six months it feels so good to have it cut and not feeling like such a big heavy mop on top.  Feeling so light-headed led me to go crazy and I purchased some new products at the salon which my stylist recommended. Two weeks in and I am loving them so I thought I'd share.  I have thick, dry hair.  These seem to be doing the trick of moisturizing without making it greasy or heavy and also making it feel pretty soft.

Bumble and Bumble Let it Shine Shampoo

                            

Kerastase Lait Vital Conditioner

Oribe Creme for Style (they all smell good, but this one is my fave)

Also, some tips for getting your hair cut via Rue Magazine.

p.s. If you are in the Orange County area and looking for a good cut, check out Megan B. at Holiday Salon, in Newport Beach.  She's the bomb ass trick, yo.

Top Image by Stephen Kui,via Rue Magazine