Gel Nails #2

Just an update on gel nails... Had to go back to get them redone. They were still in perfect condition until I worked an outdoor bartending event where I had to crack beer cans open. Gah! Total mistake. Ruined righty's index and middle nail. But those were extreme circumstances. If I hadn't done that I think I could have gone another week. So, I didn't know what to expect to get them redone. It takes longer than regular polish to remove the gel. But it was still rather quick and didn't seem to damage my nails. Pretty much they soak your nails in acetone and then file the gel off. They just scrape the last remnants off by hand. Then they redo them after a quick mani. And voila! I love how shiny they are. Surprisingly they have some cool colors. It may be hard to tell but these are like a slate gray.

Mascara #2 L'Oreal Volumious Carbon Black

As I've said before I'm sort of obsessed with mascara. Tried a new one, L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. Very good. It gives fuller lashes with quite a bit of added length too. Nice dark color with a matte finish. One downfall, and to me its kind of a big one, it flakes pretty badly. And it can not handle any moisture. I went and played tennis after applying and I had black marks under my eyebrows afterwards. But still a very good mascara with the flaw of low durability.

Update on Botox

The botox treatment I had slowly took effect. It took about 7 days for it to completely set in. Now I can NOT wrinkle between my eyebrows. It feels weird a little and my face definitely looks different to me when I get a look in the mirror while I'm talking but for the most part no one notices the lack of movement there. I am really glad I did it and I plan on keeping it up.

Here is a pic. I swear I am trying very hard to frown my brow. The only thing that really happens it that my eyebrows come down at the arch.

Gel Nail Polish

So I went to the salon to get a manicure. I had left my nail polish on way too long and it was incredibly chipped and this caused all my nails to break and chip. I was just going to have the lady leave them unpolished and filed down so that I could work on growing them out and then put polish on them. Anyway, the lady tells me that since I wear my natural nails and have problems with the nail polish chipping and damaging my nails that I should wear gel nail polish. I'm convinced. (I'm really an easy sell...) Well it turns out this stuff is awesome. My short, sad nails turn into pretty shiny ones. And there is no drying time since it is set with the UV light. And the lady swore I wouldn't have any chipping for at least two weeks. It cost 30 dollars and I think it was well worth it.

Botox

Got my first Botox treatment. Was very easy and they gave me a discount (provided by Allergan) on that visit and the next two visits. So it takes about three days to see full results but I can feel that my muscles don't work the same there already. Anyway, here is a before pic of the wrinkle I am trying to prevent with the Botox. (gosh, that's hideous. glad i'm doing the botox.)

Mascara

I was online ordering some more Bare Minerals Mineral Veil and decided to try the Bare Escentuals Volumizing Mascara. I am a total freak for mascara so let's just say I've tried a few and may be a good judge. In general, this is a good product. Nice packaging, smooth formula, brush is ok. It is a volumizing formula so it is thick. That is normal. You just need to swipe the clumps off the end of brush when you pull it out and you won't have any problems. It does not flake much. Another plus. My only problem was the brush. The bristles are very densely pack and it is hard to push my eyelashes onto it. In my experience blinking down onto the brush normally will shove them through but with this brush it was not as easy so not as much product was getting onto my lashes. Well turns out the formula doesn't dry very fast so you can keep applying over and over and it won't get clumpy/spider leggy. Overall a good product but does not give you as dramatic lashes as say Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Blasting Mascara which is so far my all time favorite mascara. Perfect brush, perfect formula, lasts forever and gives a super dramatic look.

Here is a pic with the Bare Escentuals on. I've got some eyeliner on too.

Happy Admin Day!

I am an admistrative assistant at one of my jobs and today is Administrative Assistant Day or something like that. Waiting at my office door was this.

So sweet! My coworkers are very kind to me. Unfortunately, I ate that whole chocolate candy bar after I finished lunch. The lesson here is don't wait til your starving to eat. But the lesson I learned is immediately distance yourself from anything like this. We already follow a strict no candy/snacks rule at my home. I was useless against this temptation! Gah! Well, c'est la vie. I know what to do next which is don't let this little hiccup discourage me from eating healthy. Onward to greater health!

Spring Time

It is spring and the weather is almost cooperating. Soon I will be playing tennis like crazy. Looking very foward to that. In the meantime, I am trying to decrease my work schedule so that I will have more time for tennis. Anyway, wanted to post these beautiful flowers I saw today.

Salon Effects #2

Just a follow up to the last entry...

Check out ze nails now! Aren't these great?

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

I love pretty much everything Sally Hansen produces but the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are the best thing EVER to happen to my nail routine. Very easy to apply, no drying time, awesome colors and patterns and they last 7 to 8 days even when I work all of those days. Normally I can only get about 5 days out of regular polish since I paint my real nails and I work so much. Even on the 7th day the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are only barely chipped.

Here is on day 1.

Here is on day 7.

Pretty great, right?

Old Navy cardigan

I am loving these Old Navy Women's Perfect Cardigans. Definitely recommend them. They are light weight and perfect for spring or for layering in cold weather.

Apollo's Angels

I am reading Apollo's Angels: A History of Ballet. (Thanks, Dagny!) It is totally awesome. But the best part is all the stuff I look at because of this book. Like I am reading about Anna Pavlova and I google her (love google!) and find this website called The Ballerina Gallery and they have pictures of her. And then I am reading about Stravinsky and The Firebird and find this awesome series of youtube videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWRvhLrP3U8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSAcqQnj7yw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixQn-QAWjY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVuc19PbeQU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrRbXa6lZy4&feature=related

Seriously, thank you Jennifer Homans and modern technology.

Dickies

Recently at work we changed our dress code so I decided to give Dickies a chance. I used to wear them all the time but they were the mens style and I never felt like the DickiesGirl stuff was as durable. (I did look at the DickiesGirl website and they have like discontinued everything so that wasn't an option anyway.) I finally go to Dickies.com and look at the womens section. Did not like the way things were modeled but I realize they are not going after the fashionista demographic. This site is for people who need WORK clothes. Anyway I trusted in the fact that I always loved the mens original pant and went with the Women's Original 774 Work Pant. Really love them. Incredibly durable material that is the signature of Dickies and they fit way better then I expected. I got them in a 6 when I normally wear a 4 because Dickies tend to run a little small but I think I could have shopped it true to size.

LÄRABAR

Finally found a snack bar that taste good and I like the ingredients, LÄRABAR. I am looking a the Cashew Cookie bar and the ingredients list is cashews and dates. That is so awesome. Two ingredients! Love it. They are kind of chewy and not too sweet. Definitely my new snack to throw in my bag.

Alden Nowlan

I'm driving in my car to work today and the public radio station has a quick segment where they read a poem. The poem was Full Circle by Alden Nowlan. Incredibly succinct words regarding our lack and desire for love and how it ebbs and flows through life. So I went to the wonderful website PoemHunter.com and found what I could on Mr. Nowlen. I came across this.

The Masks of Love

I came in from a walk
With you
And they ask me
If it is raining.

I didn't notice
But I'll have to give them
The right answer
Or they'll think I'm crazy.

-Alden Nowlan

Silk PureCoconut

Ever on the quest to feel less guilty about eating cereal all the time, I have found Silk PureCoconut. It goes perfectly with bland cereal like shredded wheat. It only has 80 calories a serving. Click here for full info on  nutrional values. This "milk" is creamy and so flavorful that it really makes me feel full. This is excellent for when I am doing calorie restriction.

Organic Food

I am not really into organic food. But, packaged food like cereal, canned veggies and fruits, crackers, cookies, etc. are full of weird ingredients and yet they are incredibly convenient. So, I have realized that the organic version of a packaged item is normally less... gross/weird/better for you. Right now I am really into these organic toater pastries by Nature's Path. Very delicious and made with whole wheat flour and very few ingredients.

Light Beer

I love beer. So here is my top list of light beer.

Amstel Light
Awesome beer. My go to at all times. Normally keep some in the fridge.
3.5% alcohol content
95 calories

Samuel Adams Light
Equally as good as the Amstel light but a little bit more of a heavy hitter.
4.05% alcohol content
124 calories

Beck's Light
Not as good as the first two but so low in calories it can be a good option for when you may be drinking for long periods ie. a bbq or day at the beach. And it is very hoppy so it feels like it has substance.
2.3% alcohol content
64 calories

to steal a phrase... useless fashion

One of my favorite bloggers, Cheesy, uses a term "useless fashion" when she is posting pics of her outfits. I love it. It so accurately describes everyday fashion. Anyway, here is one for me.

Al Sharpton

I saw Al Sharpton at work this morning. He is thinner than you think. And really polite and nice. Apparently he likes the New York Times.

Shoulders over your toes

It really is surprising how special you feel when you get a correction in ballet class. Last night I was told to get my shoulders over my toes during a passe balance. Really doesn't help you in that moment because you normally get nervous someone is talking about your form and just fall out but later! oh yes, later you utilize that info.

Btw I hate turns. Will let you know if that ever changes. :(

Best Body Wash

I was having a hard time finding a body wash I like. I either didn't like the way they smelled and/or they didn't make my skin feel good. Well, I finally tried the Rite Aid knock-off of the Dove body wash. Yep, it's totally great. Smells good and really does moisturize my skin. Great price too. 

Crest 3D White

Seriously, use it. Crest 3D White is THE best whitening toothpaste. I went away from it for a while and could totally tell a difference. My coffee was staining my teeth and brushing right after wasn't helping. Now that I'm back on the Crest 3d White, I can tell that my coffee stains are brushing away. It is wonderful. Oh, Crest 3D White! Why did I ever stray?

Vacuum

We got a new vacuum last night. Wow. How were we living before? We decided to get the "pet" type since my hair is what ruined the last vacuum we had. (btw the last vacuum started on fire and that is what made us finally decide to buy a new one) Well, this "pet" vacuum promises to pick up hair and not lose suction and so far so good... or actually its great. After vacuuming with this thing it looked like we had shampooed the rug too. We paid about $130 for it. We thought about going for a fancy Dyson or Oreck but decided we lived for a long time with a cheap one so why spend $500 when we could get a decent one for way less. Anyway, here it is. Pretty nifty, right? It got 4 out of 5 stars (110 reviews) at target.com but only 3 out of 5 (only 9 reviews though) at hoover.com. It is on sale right now at Target.

Jogging

I can seriously jog forever if part of every mile I can walk. Last night I went for 7 miles and my technique was jog two-thirds and walk the last third. The only reason I didn't do 8 miles is because the BF came out and told me I was doing too much. haha!

The Buddha

Found a great documentary on Buddhism called The Buddha. It is so interesting. It's mostly the story of his life and how he came to be enlightened. The coolest part is all the artwork they show throughout the film. 

Shout Out!

Just would like to give a shout out to my friends for letting me use their pics to decorate my blog. Thanks!

Toulouse-Lautrec

Had this picture snapped while out with some friends.

It made me think of this Toulouse-Lautrec painting. I've always loved this painting. The green face of the woman in the foreground is so accurate. Lighting indoors at night is so eerie and magical. Everything is out of focus and beautiful.

    

Can NOT keep the beat

My main problem in ballet is my absolute lack of rhythm. It is very frustrating. But I had a friend suggest that my problem is that I get bored keeping the beat. Haha! That actually might be it. Like my mind goes "alright, we get it. beat keeping. got it. sure.... ooooh is that a flower over there?" and there stops the beat keeping.

earrings

My mother gave me these beautiful earrings she made. I wore them with a bouffant hair style and I felt very glam 50's. Not sure if I looked good with the bouffant hair but I rocked it anyway.

best day ever!

I really had the best day ever yesterday. Busy day at work, 2 hours of tennis with the BF, and ballet class after that. Woot! (um, yes, the legs were a little tired after that) Really wish that was an everyday sequence for me.

Also, check out this sunset.

Presto Pink Nails

Check out my pink nails. I love Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri nail polish. The best thing about this nail polish is that it is super pigmented. Also, it goes on smooth and dries fast so I am less likely to smudge it. I like all of the Sally Hansen products. Great quality, good price and available at drug stores.

Pomelo

My new favorite breakfast food is the pomelo. It is bigger and sweeter than a pink grapefruit and easier to spoon out.

Pomelo on the left. Pink grapefruit on the right.

Djokovic wins!

Djokovic wins the Australian Open 2012. Awesome! Love him.

Ballerina

I watched Mao's Last Dancer recently.

Very good movie but all I could think was "I wish I was watching Ballerina."

Definitely watch them both but I like the documentary style better in Ballerina. In Ballerina the dancers are shown in practice studio which I find very interesting. I might also be slightly obsessed with Uliana Lopatkina. Her arms! So expressive...

unpacking

Just got back last night from a trip for work. I unpacked my jewelry I had brought with me. I thought it looked so pretty there on the bathroom counter.

Chicken Salad

Made up this great chicken salad recipe. Its great in a sandwich or eaten with a fork.

rotisserie-cooked chicken from you local grocer
dried apricots
dried cranberries
walnuts
celery
mayo
honey
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Shred the rotisserie chicken being sure to remove all the skin, bones and connective tissue. Put the shredded chicken in a large bowl. Roughly chop the apricots, cranberries, walnuts and celery and add to chicken. In a small bowl mix 1/4 cup each of mayo and honey together. Drizzle in some olive oil until it reaches the consistency that will coat the whole chicken mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. For best results refrigerate overnight.

Don't get crazy with the apricots, cranberries, walnuts and celery. As it sits together the flavor of these components will permeate the whole mixture so you don't want it to get overpowered by one of these ingredients. So just about a handful of each. Fine! 1/4 cup of each.

If you think its not "salad-y" enough, you can add more mayo.

Bows, Bows, Bows!

I love bows. They are pretty and simple and a little whimsical. The only problem with bows is the word. If you start saying it a lot it starts to sound weird and then you're like "is that a real word? if so, I have completely forgotten what it means..." I digress. Recently I was on a mad hunt to find large bows to put into my hair. Could not locate. So I did what anyone would do. I googled it. Turns out they are really simple to make yourself. Check out this great video. I cut up some old pants. I used the pants material because it is a bit stiff and would keep that puffy shape.  This probably took me about 20 minutes to make both.

I just sewed a few sequins on this one to keep it from looking too plain.

a bit of warmth

I needed something to throw over my shoulders when I am chilling (ha!) on the couch. So I just knit a big square with some wool yarn and added 3 buttons to make it closeable. And voila! Its warm and it hangs on the couch next to the throw blanket.

Color Correction

Recently I decided I was fed up with my red face. I decided to try Almay Smart Shade Perfect & Correct Primer . Don't be lured in by the cool bottle. This product is unsatisfactory. The colored aspect is not noticeable enough to do any correcting. It is mostly the clear gel when you pump it out. The consistency is smooth and it does add a layer to your skin that could be good as a base before applying powder or foundation. I have combination skin so this only made my whole face oily. In the end I returned it. (Most drug stores will accept makeup you do not like since they don't have testers like Sephora or Ulta.)

After returning the above item, I purchased L'Oreal Studio Secrets Color Corrector Green . Much better product for the need I have. It is green enough to negate the redness but you could still wear it alone. It goes on somewhat matte so that is good for my combination skin. It pumps out fast and is a little streaky if you don't blend well, but overall I am happy with this product. Oh yeah! and this product is $4 cheaper than the one above.

Swan Lake!

Yes! February 17th and 18th Montgomery Ballet is partnering with Alabama Dance Theater to put on Swan Lake at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center. Can NOT wait! Montgomery Ballet is where I take my oh-so-wonderful Adult Ballet class.

Hungy vs. Unbearable Lightness

I have now read both Hungry by Crystal Renn and Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi. Both I enjoyed immensely. But in case you are unsure which to read first or if you want to read both, here is a little comparison.

 

Hungry is a model's tale about anorexia. Crystal Renn is trying to make it as a model in New York but is failing because her misery is interfering with her ability to perform. In the end Renn realizes she must give up her extreme dieting and over-exercising if she wants to be happy and also successful. Renn's story gives insight into the modeling industry and the art of modeling and photography. The main underlying concept on body image is that everyone tends to be a certain weight and you live a balanced life you will settle into that weight.

I like the modeling industry info and the "accept who you are" concept. It was well written and filled with interesting facts about the health of people over 30bmi. I felt that Renn avoided being too emotional. She admits having a difficult life but seems to not want to link her behavior to any neurosis stemming from early life experiences. 

 

Unbearable Lightness is an actor's tale of anorexia, bulimia, and self-loathing. Portia de Rossi takes the reader on a terrifying tale of dieting, binging and purging, and a life of hating herself because she is gay. This book illustrates the horror of disordered eating. Finally after almost killing herself de Rossi starts a long road of recovery and finally tells her loved ones she is gay.

I like this book because it is like watching a train wreck. It is satisfying because in the end de Rossi finally is able to see her sexuality in a positive light. Also, I like that de Rossi's main tool in fighting her ED is to give up obsessing over food and herself. She finds love and realizes she is not the center of the universe.

Comparison

If you want to read about a person and their disgusting yet I-can't-look-away problems, then Unbearable Lightness is for your. If you want to read about a disease and an industry that ties itself to it while also learning some very interesting facts, then Hungry is for you.