Woohoo it's finally Friday. I've seriously felt like the weeks are just getting longer and longer, maybe it's because it's still freezing basically everywhere except Florida and it's practically spring!
Anywho since I feel like I haven't really blogged about what's been going on let's get to it.
Favorite sunset
I seriously feel like a freak when I just have to take a pic, but the sky looked so pretty with the sun setting so I just had to. #BloggerProblems
Favorite song
Hello to you too Nick Jonas, who knew he would go from the Jonas Brothers to a breakout star all on his own?!
Favorite meme
Any Chicago sports fan (or sports fan in general) can get this. Derrick Rose is out yet again because of a surgery on his meniscus...poor guy just can't catch a break, but he can get some pretty funny meme's made about him.
Favorite day at work
On Wednesday I was literally all by myself (minus some maintenance workers in the morning) and had no patients to see, so what's a girl to do besides catch up on Mindy Project while getting paperwork done. Needless to say that will probably never happen again, so I took advantage of the opportunity.
Favorite conversation
*No I didn't get a puppy*
A got some serious recognition at work the other day and I was very proud of him. Apparently our fake dog, Neymar (yes named after the famous soccer player on Barcelona's team) was very proud of his papa as well. I'm glad that he appreciates my weirdness and matches it :).
Favorite purchase(s)
I was at the farmers market getting produce and saw the prettiest tulips and knew I had to have them. Karma that it snowed later that day? Spring will be coming in my mind whether or not the outside matches it. Can't wait until these pretties start blooming!
I got this adorable blush pink dress from Tobi for 50% off (if you want 50% off your entire order, let me know and I'll send you an invite). They have some seriously cute stuff that I picked up for my vacations later this year. No this is not sponsored, I just really like shopping there. The shoes I picked up from Nordstrom, I am seriously in love with these shoes and can't wait for warmer weather to start wearing them. Reading the reviews, I saw a lot of negative things, but these shoes are not only comfortable being a stilleto, but the fit is awesome! The Michael Kors wristlet was a gift from my awesome boyfriend, I think it pairs super well with this dress too!
I had a treat yo'self moment in honor of the series finale of Parks & Rec. The Steve Madden 'Stecy' sandal I had mentioned earlier, totally worth treating yourself. I picked up an Alex and Aniperidot birthstone bracelet. Got this adorable new iPhone 5s case from T.J. Maxx (holla at under $10!!). Finally I picked up this First Aid Beauty-Eye Duty Triple Remedy from Sephora and I'm having mixed feelings about it. I may try it out for another week to see if I truely like it or not, but any suggestions on something to help brighten under eyes I would appreciate them.
What are some of your favorites this week? Any fun purchases or songs you're feeling this week? Link up with the beautiful brand new newlywed Amanda. Show her some love, check out her amazing wedding photos, and link up!
**None of the above links are affilliate links, I'm not getting paid anything if you click on it, just making things a bit easier for you to find should you want something.**
Good morning friends! If you're like the millions of other people who tuned into the Oscar's last night then a lot of what is recapped will be familiar to you, but if you didn't I'll do a short and sweet recap of the nights events along with my picks for best and worst dressed. I went over to my friends place to watch and play Oscar bingo, trust me if you want to get everyone interested in watching, play games!!
The Oscar's are the cream of the crop when it comes to award shows and this year did not disappoint. I think Neil Patrick Harris did a phenomenal job of keeping the audience interested and cracking appropriate, yet hilarious jokes throughout the night. I had only seen American Sniper out of all the nominated movies, but definitely have a few more to add to my list after last night.
Even with the name flubs and some flat jokes, NPH did the Oscar's justice by being himself and keeping it real. And then there was this moment...
Heeeeelllo, all of NPH...
Let's just talk about Lady Gaga's performance for a second. I was worried when I heard she was going to be singing music from The Sound of Music. Such a classic with some amazing and memorable songs, but boy did Lady Gaga do an incredible job with her performance. Her voice was perfection and I looooved her outfit, why didn't she wear that during the red carpet?!?
Patricia Arquette won for best supporting actress for her work in Boyhood. I think her speech was so good, man when you can get Meryl Streep to ferociously clap her hands and bring her to her feet, you did something really right. Girl Power!!
What about this absolutely awkward moment between John Travolta and Idina Menzel, why was he caressing his face. Let's just pin John Travolta, the drunk uncle at weddings who hits on everyone...nobody wants you there for this specific reason.
And then theres this guy, he won for best foreign film Ida, but what he will now be remembered for is how long his acceptance speech was. The music literally played out and he was still talking, I thought the moment was pretty hilarious and wondered maybe he couldn't hear the music?!?
Now let's move onto my favorite part of award shows, the fashion!!!
Best Dressed:
I think a LOT of stars knocked it out of the park last night in terms of fashion. My top 3 favorite looks have to be; Jennifer Lopez, Jamie Chung and Chrissy Teigen. They all looked effortlessly classy and so well put together. Serious round of applause for having more best dressed picks than worst.
Best Dressed-Men:
Hello Bradley Cooper. I don't think he has looked any better. I also thought all 3 Chris' did a fantastic job along with my hubby Channing Tatum (I let Jenna borrow him for the night). I also appreciated the guys who went for the unique looks like Oscar winner, Eddie Redmayne and Ansel Elgort who stunned in navy blue tux's. David Oyelowo looked fantastic in the deep red color, this was a stand out year for him minus the snubs at the award shows and I cannot wait to see his performance in Selma.
Worst Dressed:
Along with the stunning best dressed, there have to be a handful of worst dressed and luckily there weren't too many. But I think the looks that just fell very very flat with me were Nicole Kidman, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Felicity Jones.
I think Felicity should have done something more flattering because the ball gown doesn't do her justice.
Marion Cotillard had a very unflattering dress. The back of it was kind of awful and looked like a geisha dress.
Lady Gaga should have worn her performance dress on the carpet and maybe burned this one. I think the red gloves were the worst part, they looked like the gloves you wear to wash dishes with.
Chloe Grace Moretz was another bad one because those damn pockets, she wouldn't let her hands not be in the pocket. It poofed out the dress and gave a very unflattering figure, but the color and style of the dress aren't any better.
I really wanted to love Lupita's gown, but I just hated the top of her dress, the texture was just awkward and I didn't care for it.
Nicole Kidman should have seriously thought about the way her dress was going to photograph, the color is awful and looks like someone threw urine on her...so yeh that's a big fat no.
Sienna Miller's look was just boring and her gown was awkwardly cut too.
Behati Prinsloo is only 25 years old and for god sakes she's married to Adam Levine and a supermodel on top of all that, why is she wearing this awful dress. Also her hair is just all sorts of bad.
Laura Dern is trying to look like a 25 year old in this gown. If her and Behati switched their looks completely I think it may have been better for the both of them. The metal look on her just makes it seem like she's trying too hard.
Julianne Moore looked very uncomfortable in her dress and I thought the fit of it didn't do her justice.
Undecided:
So these 3 women had me on the fence, I cannot decide if their looks were good or bad.
Emma Stone looks flawless there's no doubting that, but I just don't love this color. I do love the fit and style of it though, but wish it were in a pale blush color to really stand out.
Kerry Washington looked great, but I think in movement this dress is questionable. I think it made her hips wider than normal and that fell flat for me.
Naomi Watts looks fabulous in this gown, but I'm not 100% sure it was right for the Oscar's. The movement of this gown was quite pretty though. I do love how edgy the dress is too.
So now you tell me what your thoughts were on the performances, Neil Patrick Harris, and the fashion hits and misses from last night's show.
Happy hump day friends! So something I have been wanting to talk about for some time on the blog is my skin care essentials. Now I never really took serious care of my skin until recently. I've been lucky during my teen years that I didn't break out besides the occasional hormonal zit, but because of that I assumed my skin would just be perfect forever. WRONG. Although I still don't break out, I do get horrible zits on my face that tend to stick around for a while. I figured getting into a good skin care routine was essential especially since I'm not getting any younger and my face is starting to show it. So I'm gonna go through some of the skin care products I use daily/weekly basis and what I like about them.
I just recently bought this spot treatment after being shown it at Sephora. I don't have the full system for acne treatment because quite frankly I know I wouldn't use it all the time. The last few days I've had a nasty zit on my face that I've been using this on about 2 times a day. I'll put a dab on in the morning before my makeup, then before bed another dab goes on. I really have noticed it working slowly but surely to downsize the zit. It's a pretty good price tag considering I won't be using it daily and you use so little of it.
I bought this when I was in Houston since Chicago doesn't have a stand alone Origins store. And the sales lady sold me on this, I have been using it every day before my makeup/morning routine and still have a considerable amount left. I was startled at the price tag in the beginning, but I truly love this product and definitely will be keeping this going in my skin care routine.
Picked this up in Houston as well. I was looking for a good face scrub to use weekly/bi-weekly and when I smelled this one I was hooked. I use this in the shower only 1-2 times a week, but it really makes my skin feel nice and smooth without being harsh. It has that dermabrasion feel without scratching your skin which is great! Definitely worth it to get if you are looking for a good scrub.
This face wash was recommended to me by my cousin and I even used her wash a few times while staying with her. I love the frothy feeling of this wash and the fact that it's gentle enough to use daily. I use this every morning and evening to wash my face and it doesn't dry out my skin which is important. I love the fact that it gets all my makeup off and makes my face feel clean at the end of the day. I have a pretty big tube of it that is likely to still last me a few more months!
The final skin care product I use on the regular is this cleanser from LUSH. I had never used any LUSH products before this one, but I am in love these products. The fact that they are made handmade and are vegan is really neat. A lot of the products smell ahhhhhh-mazing!! I can't wait to expand my LUSH wish list. So any suggestions are more than welcome.
I'm still on the hunt for other things to add to my essentials, especially an under eye cream. I need something for some serious dark circles and de-puffing. I'm considering trying the First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Triple Remedy after reading good reviews, but want to get some input from my readers.
What skin care products do you swear by or are your holy grails? I love browsing around Sephora so I'd love to try some suggestions out and letting you all know how I like em.
I've seen this floating around for quite some time and had always wanted to join in and create a list of 101 goals for me. I finally sat down and compiled a list and can't wait to start crossing things off. One of my favorite things to do is make lists, but even more than that I love the feeling of crossing things off said list! So here are a list of my 101 goals in the next 1001 days (or 2.75 years).
Start date: February 14th, 2015
End date: November 11th, 2017
101 in 1001
1.Come up with 101 goals (Feb 14th, 2015)
2.Take a cooking class
3.Host a dinner/cocktail party
4.Make 5 recipes from my cookbook
5.Buy a wine rack
6.Successfully open a bottle of champagne
7.Host/cook dinner for a holiday gathering
8.Buy a nice knife set
9.Get produce from a farmer’s market
10.Try 10 new restaurants
11.Watch 5 classic movies
12.See 3 Audrey Hepburn movies
13.Watch 3 TV series in full
14.Read 20 books
15.Invest in a classic handbag
16.Buy 3 coffee table books
17.Find glasses I love
18.Learn how to tie a tie
19.Buy a good pair of boots
20.Invest in Louboutin pumps
21.Find the perfect LBD
22.Buy a better blow dryer
23.Get another tattoo
24.Find my signature scent
25.Get a puppy (or 5)
26.Invest in a DSLR camera
27.Get a family portrait done
28.Get professional pictures taken
29.Back up all my photos to my external hard drive
30.Complete the photo365 challenge
31.Take a photography class
32.Get engaged!!
33.Get married!!
34.Be a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding
35.Move to a new city
36.Give 5 just because gifts
37.Get involved in a volunteer organization
38.Find a full-time job
39.Do a random act of kindness for a stranger
40.Shoot a gun
41.Get a psychic reading
42.Join a professional association (July 2014)
43.Grow my Instagram following to 500
44.Go to a blogger conference/event
45.Meet 5 new blogger friends
46.Go to 5 concerts (One Direction-Aug 2014;)
47.Go to a trivia night at a bar
48.Go to a wine festival
49.Go salsa dancing
50.See a Broadway play/musical
51.Go to a botanical garden
52.Go see a Cirque de Soleil show
53.See a comedy show
54.Go skydiving
55.Go to a golf range
56.Go to a new amusement park
57.Go to an outdoor/drive-in movie theater
58.Go to an MLB game
59.Go to a Houston Texans game
60.Go to a Dallas Cowboys game
61.Attend a black tie event
62.Go apple picking
63.Sing karaoke
64.Take my sister out for a day of fun, paid for by me
65.Go to the Houston Rodeo
66.Eat at a food truck
67.Run another 5k
68.Take a barre class
69.Do a juice cleanse
70.Get a facial
71.Get 5 massages
72.Get a keratin hair treatment
73.Have my makeup professionally done
74.Run in the Color Run
75.Run an 8 or 10k
76.Have a blowout at DryBar
77.Run a mile without stopping
78.Try a spin class
79.Visit 5 museums
80.Attend a bachelorette party in Vegas
81.Go to 5 new states
82.Go on a spontaneous weekend trip
83.Travel to a new country
84.Visit my cousin in Tampa
85.Go to Austin
86.Visit Dallas
87.Go to California
88.Go on a cruise
89.Go to Europe
90.Fly first class
91.Visit Disney World again
92.Go on a wine tour in Napa
93.Stay at a Bed & Breakfast
94.Go on a trip with just my sister
95.Go to the Texas State Fair
96.Visit London
97.Become a home owner
98.Buy a new car
99.Leave a 100% tip for great service
100. Write a will and living will
101. Add $20 to my savings account every month of the 1001 days (Feb 2015;)
Hi loves. I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend, sucks that it's Monday already, but let's talk about one of my favorite things, celebrity fashion!! If you guys missed the Grammy's last night you really didn't miss much. I'm sure there is buzz all day today about all that went down during last night's show.
The performances were much more toned down than usual, with the exception of Madonna. Anyone else with me on her being too thirsty for attention, we get it you can still move, now put some clothes on and let more relevant musicians perform. My absolute favorite performance was hands down Katy Perry. I'm as shocked as anyone else, I enjoyed her halftime show at the Super Bowl, but haven't ever really been a fan of hers. The song she sung was off her Prism album and it was perfection. It was perfectly timed after Obama spoke about stopping violence against women and children and a victim of domestic abuse spoke about her experience. I think the whole moment was really powerful and her song was the perfect one to compliment that. If you missed the powerful performance, check it out below.
My least favorite performance was hands down, Kanye West. I think he's a horrid singer and should just mind his own damn business when it comes to other people's awards. We all love Beyonce, but other people deserve to win just as much as her. Although I don't know Beck, I'm sure there was reason for his win he shouldn't have to just hand his award to anyone else. Kanye is just a douche and a bully, maybe the Grammy's should reconsider inviting him next year. This way we don't see/hear any of his antics and Kim K. won't be invited, everyone will be happy!
Some other notable performances were Miranda, who absolutely killed it. Beyonce, of course, she did an amazing job singing a classic gospel from the movie Selma. I also looooved Sam Smith & Mary J. Blige dueting for Stay with me. Sam Smith took the cake and 4 grammys home with him yesterday, he is an amazing artist with voice like butter so can't wait to see what he comes up with this year.
Now let's get to the fashion of last night! I was taking notes during the red carpet because I know the Grammy's are more wild than other award shows when it comes to the fashion and I didn't want to miss any of it. I have to say I'm really impressed with the amount of great fashion on the carpet. Only a handful of worst dressed list, which is pretty impressive for the Grammy's I think. If you want a little flashback into my picks for best & worst from last year check it out here!
Best dressed 2015
+ Taylor Swift: I think she was the absolute, hands down, best dressed yesterday. People may disagree, but this dress was perfection. I love the ombre color and the pop of fuschia with her shoes.
+ Beyonce: I mean come on, just look at her. She oozes perfection and she is radiating. Love, love love!
+ Chrissy Teigen: I think she has been hitting it out of the park lately. This is most definitely how a nominee's wife should dress at the Grammy's, not too much, but makes a statement on her own.
+ Miranda Lambert: Wowsa, she looks so good. Compared to just 2 years ago, she has lost a ton of weight and her body looks fantastic. I love the simplicity of her dress with the pretty pop of fuschia. Her hair and makeup is also on point.
+ Gwen Stefani: I typically hate pant suits on the red carpet, but wow does Gwen do an exquisite job of rocking this look. I love the top detail and the structure of it. The shoes are awesome and her hair pulls everything together.
+ Meghan Trainor: I think for her first Grammy's she did great. I love how classic and elegant the look is without being too covered up. This girl definitely knows how to dress for her body, so props to her!
+ Katy Perry: I think this was such a change to what Katy Perry normally does on the red carpet in a good way. I love the fluidity of the dress and the fact that it's fun and flirty. I do think she needs to go back to some normal color hair asap.
+ Mary J. Blige: This woman knows how to bring it. For being in her 40's she dresses amazing and in a way that highlights her figure. Love this color on her.
+ Ciara: I think this dress may get mixed reviews, but I love it. I think when she was walking in it the movement of the dress was beautiful.
+ Nicki Minaj: I love that she stayed true to herself without going over the top. She is accentuating her assets and it looks very flattering on her.
+ Kat Graham: I think this dress has visual interest and fits her perfectly. I love the peek-a-boo design and sheer quality of it. Her hair, makeup and accessories go very well.
+ Jessie J: I admit I wasn't a huge fan of this when I first saw it, but I think seeing it more it grew on me. I think it does look a bit gothic, but her hair and makeup pair so well with the dress. The dress is beautifully constructed and the details are incredible.
+ Lady Gaga: Well it's not a meat dress...I think she really toned down her crazy antics and I can appreciate that. She has a great body and she definitely showed it off in this dress. It's not a forgiving dress, but she fills it perfectly.
+ Haim: These ladies are the up and coming indie hit and I love their recent music. Their outfit choices go so well together which is why I chose all of them. I think as a girl band they look very cohesive and well put together.
Best Dressed Men
The men really knocked it out of the park last night in my opinion.
+ Dierks Bentley: Ummm a cutie in a seersucker suit, yes please! I think he looks adorable and well put together!
+ Nick Jonas: I love that he really stepped out of the norm with his suit. I think it looks young and fresh and boy grew up reallll good.
+ John Mayer: Wow this look is phenomenal. It looks like he can easily go walk the red carpet at the Oscars, very classy and elegant. Love seeing John Mayer look so handsome.
+ Usher: I love the 50 shades of grey thing he's doing on the red carpet. It's interesting and unique.
+ Aloe Blacc: I think this suit is visually stunning. The blue is just my favorite for a suit and he wore it so well. I love the different shoes that changed the outfit up a bit and made it more appropriate for the Grammy's.
Worst Dressed
-Madonna: Ok woman, you are in your 60's, I get that you have an incredible body, but man just give up the dramatics already. I think it's just too costume-y for a red carpet.
-Charli XCX: So this was her big break out year and this is what she shows up in?!? Seriously, 80's fashion has mostly stayed in the 80's let's not try to bring this back. Did she think the fur would class it up a bit?
-Rihanna: Cotton candy, loofa, ballerina on steroids, whatever you thought her dress resembled it was awful. Like why hide your amazing body in this crap. The dress didn't even fit, or it was too heavy because she kept lifting it up.
-Zendaya: What. The. Heck. I don't understand the hair and the dress is just ill-fitting on her. She should dress for her age and quit trying to look like she's in her 30's.
-Sia: Ok, wtf is wrong with her? I don't know what the gimmick is for her, but I'm not feeling it. Also who is the little kid with her?? So many questions, so little time.
-Ariana Grande macchiato: I mean really, can she not do anything besides this dumb ponytail. Also, it looks like there was a missing part of the dress that they decided to just cover up with silver metallic.
-Kim Kardashian: So I really did want to like this, but it straight up looks like a robe with a belt. Her goodies are basically on full display here and I think it's just too much. She's basically only there because she's married to Kanye, but take notes from Chrissy Teigen, don't over-do your man. It was probably that douche Kanye's choice though.
-Iggy Azalea: I was curious if she brought some butter she churned earlier that day. Oh wait is she not a dutch maid?! Dress looks fine, just kind of blah.
-Chris Brown: I'm shocked that he's even allowed at these functions anymore after the last time. He looks like a homeless man off the streets of L.A. who just happened to walk the red carpet. No thanks.
-Miley Cyrus: Ok so I don't hate the dress on her, she is working it for sure. I do hate the fact that she didn't add anything to a boring black dress. Where's the jewelry, clutch, anything!!
Ok, so what did you guys think of my picks for best and worst dressed? Leave me your comments below. Linking up with Biana for weekending since this is basically the highlight of my weekend.
