Product Testing: Dust It

Back when I made my trip to Chi-town, my dear friend T introduced to me to a fabulous dry shampoo: dust it. Now I've used dry shampoo in the past, but its mainly been in the form of the foam, which takes out the shine and greasiness, but doesn't even come close to dry shampoo. Not only does dust it mattify and take away shine, but it also gives you incredible volume and hold when you dust it onto your roots. I usually dust some onto my bangs so that they don't get greasy, and then also when I work out at lunch.

All this may seem really mundane, but I really do have a point here: I've been talking about the Summer Solstice Party lately (can you tell I'm really excited about it?). I really want to try a fun, dramatic hairstyle that I wouldn't normally do: I'm thinking bouffant, just like they had on the runways this Spring, and I'm planning to use dust it to get the volume I need. I'm thinking something like this:

 What do you think? Too much???

Prepping for rain

As it starts to get warmer, it starts to get wetter. Its inevitable. I hate walking the dogs in the rain; its squishy and I hate getting mud on my shoes. So, this year, in an effort to make walking in the rain more pleasant, I think I'm going to invest in a pair of these:

I've been eyeing these Hunter boots since the fall; they are functional, comfortable, and so incredibly CUTE!!!
What's your stay-dry strategy this Spring?

Preparing for Next Year (or the next 2 months)

If you've been to a department store or the mall lately, then you've noticed that in retail-world, its swimsuit season already. Here in Cleveland, and really, all over the northern US, we're still freezing our butts off. Needless to say, its a FANTASTIC time to buy coats!! Why? Because they're ridiculously on sale, like this J.Crew beauty that I ordered last week.

It was an extra 40% off the sale price when I bought it, so the grand total was a whopping 65% the original price!!!! If you're in the market for a new coat, I recommend taking a look at what's out there right now; all the major retailers are offering huge discounts, and there are some great great deals to be had. I will say, that you're probably "safer" picking out a classic style, or at the very least, something that you absolutely LURVE, and that you're likely to still love next year. In any case, you'll still get to use it until March, maybe even April!!!

Spring ballet

Have you watched Black Swan yet? N and I saw it a couple of weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. I'm not going to give anything away, but I will say that if you're looking for closure at the end of the movie, you're not going to get it. I LLLUUURRRVVEEED the costumes and all the tulle, and while I'd love to incorporate some of that into my spring wardrobe, I'm fairly certain that tulle at work would result in many weird looks. So, I will have to limit my Black Swan inspirations to something more corporate-appropriate like ballet flats. Right now, I have my eye on these:

Born Precious in antique burnished leather, $95 at zappos

I haven't ordered these yet, but I've got my fingers crossed that they're as comfortable as they are adorable!!!



Bowled Over

Last week, I stopped by Crate and Barrel to browse. While there I picked up a set of these:

Parker bowls

I luuuuuurrrrvveee these bowls. I know, its more than a little odd to be this excited about kitchen stuff, but these bowls are really really great! I've used them every single day since I've owned them! They're the perfect size, and come in the super cute fun colors, that just so happen to perfectly complement my kitchen. LURVE!

What's your favorite kitchen item?

Busted

Scene: our home

N: What is that? Did you buy another purse?
Me: No, that's a purse organizer

(N opens container and pulls out 2 items)
N: No, that's definitely a purse. That's the size of your purse.
Me: No, that's not a purse. It goes IN the purse. See, it has no handles.

N: Is this something you saw on one of those "as seen on TV" things?

SO BUSTED!!!!

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Have you entered my contest yet? You could win a $25 Starbucks gift card!! Great way to start 2011!

Plush tights: available locally

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been gone a while, but last week I developed a nasty cold, and pretty much my schedule turned to: work, sleep. The good news is that I kicked the cold, and I'm back!! If you're in Northeast Ohio, you've definitely gotten at least an inch or so of snow already, which makes this post timely, especially if you're a woman. I love wearing skirts and dresses with tights and boots in the winter, but around this time is when  I start to avoid tights, mainly because its miserably cold, and tights tend to be a little thin. Except for these ones:

Plush fleece-lined tights. Between $30-$35.

Available online and locally at B Lux Boutique and Evie Lou.

I can't even describe how much I luuuuuuuurrrrvveeee these tights. They're super cozy with the fleece lining, with the added benefit they are much more tear-resistant than other pairs. Extremely comfortable!! They come in the footed and footless versions, and I recommend you buy multiples. I bought mine in black and gray, and I'm certain I will snap up any more colors that become available. Since its the holiday season, I highly recommend picking up a pair for the women in your life, especially if they enjoy wearing skirts and dresses. It will be a much loved gift for sure!!!

Consume with Care

I'm sure you've heard all about Four Loko, which has now been banned, or is at risk of being banned in quite a few states. It is legal in Ohio, and this weekend, it made an appearance at our tailgate.

I'm not gonna lie, I didn't like it. The lemon-lime version isn't terrible, but the rest of the flavors taste like a mixture of cough syrup and jolly ranchers. DISGUSTING!! Its rumored to be the equivalent of 6 beers and a cup of coffee, so please consume with caution.

Have you tried Four Loko? What did you think?

Shellac

I am certainly not the first person to try this, but I am so FRICKING excited about this, I just haaaaaaaavvveeee to tell you about it. I first read about Shellac manicures at All Laquered Up and decided that I just absolutely had to try it myself. So two weeks ago, clefoodgoddess decided to test it out at Revelations Salon and Spa in Lakewood. It.was.everything.i.thought.it.would.be.

Seriously, it lasted two whole weeks without chipping, and besides the fact that my actual nail has grown, you can't tell it was done two weeks ago. It doesn't damage your actual nail, and is super easy to remove!! The only negative is that there's not a whole lot of colors to choose from, but the ladies doing our manicure told us that Revelations will soon be receiving a competing nail system that will have over 50 colors! Of course, at $37, the shellac manicures are almost double the price of a regular manicure, but given that it lasts two weeks, I'd say its worth every penny!!!!

Gone to lunch

In an attempt to be healthy, I usually take lunch to work. Sometimes I get really lazy about it, and can't get my act together enough to pack it either the night before, or even in the morning. Those are the days where I end up splurging on something unhealthy, that isn't even worth the calories.

Over the past two weeks though, I've been really good about taking my lunch to work. And I think it may have something to do with the fact that coincidentally enough, someone gifted me this:

$25 (regular price, although some pattersn are on sale) mini cooler, vera bradley

So here's what I like about this bag:

1. Seriously, how cute is this?! While I would probably never buy a printed handbag, a printed lunch bag is just PERFECT!

2. Its wide enough to hold gladware containers straight up. So no tipping over.

3. It can hold a bunch of cans of soda. Or beer. For when you're picnicing. Or whenever.

4. It has a little pouch in the front for utensils

5. Its insulated and washable (just wipe down) so you don't end up with stinky bags!

bonus: Environmentally friendly!!!! In that you don't have to use disposable bags.



So what do you typically do for lunch: go out? Grab stuff to-go? Brown bag?

Raining cats and dogs

If you live in NorthEast Ohio, this is not news to you: it rains a lot in Cleveland. Probably not as much as say, Seattle, but its still a decent amount. More often than not, the rain is accompanied by crazy wind, which renders any umbrella practically useless, particulary if you're walking through downtown Cleveland. I learned this valuable lesson very early on in my Cleveland experience, and have given up on the whole "umbrella thing" except to the extent that I use it to cover my head.

Instead, I use a trench coat. Its an invaluable piece of a woman's (or for that matter, a man's) wardrobe, and I think everyone should have one. My current trench is a classic tan Michael Kors that I bought a couple of years ago at Marshalls, but lately, I've found myself enamored with this beauty:

Burberry Brit Double Breasted Trench $795

I've never spent $800 on a single item of clothing, but considering that (a) it rains a lot (b) I would have this forever, and (c) it will NEVER go out of style, I'm thinking that the cost per wear on this will in fact be very very low (like your favorite pair of jeans), and this might just be a worthwhile long term investment. Kinda like diamonds.

Burberry Classic Trench for men $750

What do you think? What's the most expensive piece of clothing you've ever bought, and was it worth the "investment"?

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Don't forget to comment on this post for an automatic entry to my first ever giveaway, which just so happens to be a animal print bracelet, that would look absolutely lovely with a trench coat, particularly if you are a woman.

Product Review: Garnier Blow Dry Perfector

Confession: my hair is naturally wavy. You wouldn't always know it, because I straighten my hair almost every day (except for when Mother Nature refuses to cooperate, and then I just give in to the curls). Anyway, I'm always on the hunt for products that will cut my hair-drying time. And then, two weeks ago, as I watched Project Runway, I saw it. A commercial for Garnier's Blow Dry Perfector Kit!

The claim:
Tames Frizz
Keeps hair smooth and shiny
Provides easier, faster blow dries
Lasts 7 shampoos

So the big question is: does it work?? And I'm happy to say, YES!!! The impact did fade out by shampoo 7, but for the first 6, it absolutely worked (on my hair, anyway. You may not have the same results, depending on your hair texture and condition)! My color and heat treated hair was less frizzy, was definitely more shiny, and my blow-dry time was cut by a whole 5 minutes!! (5 minutes may not seem like much, but in the morning, every extra minute of sleep counts!)

Pros:
You can do this at home for around $12
There was enough product left over for one more treatment (my hair is medium length)
Your hair will feel super soft and silky when you're done

Cons:
It smells. REALLY REALLY BAD. It smells like the old school Nair, a sorta chemically burning smell.
It will take you at least an hour to go through the whole process (maybe longer depending on how long it takes you to style your hair). You have to wash your hair (but not condition), put in the smelly serum and leave it on for 20 minutes, then wash your hair again, put in the pleasant smelling liquid, and then style, including running a flat iron through your hair.  All in all, easily close to an hour, so don't do this if you're in a hurry.

So there you have it. Will I use it again? Yes! If you try it out, let me know what you think!!

Pineapple (express?)

So, this weekend, I bought something a little ridiculous, but something that I absolutely LURVE. A bought a pineapple slicer. I LUUUURVE pineapple, but I absolutely hate cutting them up; the stupid eyes never quite come off, and then there's a giant mess all over my kitchen. That said, buying a pre-cut pineapple is a complete rip off!! Its usually at least double the price of an unsliced pineapple, and completely unnecessary, especially if you have this handy little gadget!!!

 

Looks magical, doesn't it?!? Its available at Williams Sonoma, and is currently on sale for $19.95!!!

Needless to say, I'm going to be eating a LOT of pineapple for the rest of the year!!!

Concealing your sleep deprivation

I LURVE sleep. Seriously. I would be happiest with 8 uninterrupped hours every night, but that usually doesn't happen. Needless to say, I end up with horrific dark circles, that usually require lot of concealing. I usually use a Smashbox concealer (which works really well for me), but this weekend I decided to test out a drugstore version: Garnier Nutritioniste Skin-Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller!

$12-$13 depending on where you buy it

The claim: Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Roller is right for you if you want to instantly correct the appearance of dark circles and brighten the skin around your eyes.

How to: Apply Skin Renew Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller in the morning and as needed throughout the day.

Did it work? Well, sorta. When you roll it on, it instantly feels cools and refreshing. It contains tinted moisturizer, which you will need to blot with your fingers, but it blends well. Its a little beige for my skin tone, but nothing that some tinted moisturer doesn't fix. I think it would work for anyone with light-medium skin tone. As for coverage, it didn't really last that long, maybe a couple of hours before I needed to reapply. The problem with this was that if I reapplied, then I also had to redo my tinted moisturizer, which become annoying. Although, I think all of this stems from the fact that its not exactly the right color and goopiness for my dark circles; I wish they had a medium and a dark shade; I think it would work better rather than a one-size-fits-all that really doesn't fit all.

Conclusion: if you have light or medium skin, and dark circles that aren't SUPER dark, this might work for you. At $12, it might be worth a try!!!

Lost puppies break my heart

The downside of summer is the number of stray dogs that show up everywhere! Some of them are abandoned (which makes me angry; go surrender your dog to the kennel or the APL like an adult) and some of them have slipped out of their backyards on a summer's day and have loving owners desperately searching for them! Seriously, one look at the craigslist lost and found sections enough to make anyone sad.

Luckily, Otto and Clair haven't gotten out, nor are they really the kind of dogs that stray very far, but if you have a dog that is a runner (retrievers, huskies. pointers), please consider microchipping your dogs. It's a very simple and relatively inexpensive procedure where your vet will inject a tiny microchip under your pet's skin. You then register you pet's chip at the manufacturers website online ( this part is important; please keep your info updated). If your dog is lost, and either doesn't have a collar on, or the tags break off, your dog can still be identified via his/her microchip. If your dog is picked up by a rescue organization, it is customary for them to scan for microchips. It prevents a situation where your dog gets adopted out to someone else while you're still trying to find him/her.

So, what should you do if you lose a pet?

1. Make lots of posters and post them in and around the area your pet was last seen.
2. Post your missing dog's info on facebook, twitter, and craigslist and ask friends to cross post. Post frequently.
3. Call your neighborhood shelters and the dog warden to alert them. You should probably follow up with them frequently; they get very busy in the summer.
4. Believe in miracles. They do happen. Last week, an epileptic chocolate lab was lost in my neighborhood, and was miraculously found a week later!

If you're a dog owner that thinks of their dog as a family member, please consider microchipping your pet. You will probably never ever need it, and I hope that you don't. But if you do, its just one more thing to help bring your furry baby back home.

Involuntary Absences

You may have noticed, I wasn't around last week. Unfortunately it was not by choice. Last Friday, we finally adopted Clair, our little baby boxer. The weekend was great; Otto and Clair love each other, and she's a really good puppy. BUT, I overestimated Otto's reaction to Clair; based on the fact that he LOVES other dogs, and he's a really laid back dog, I assumed (incorrectly) that he would totally take Clair's arrival in stride. And he did, for the weekend, until he figured out she wasn't leaving.

I haven't figured out if he was acting out or if it was just that he had been drinking a lot more water, but OTTO had a BUNCH of accidents in the house. Then the day of the earthquake (Wednesday. Did you feel it? I did. It was wierd!!!) I came home to a massive Clair-accident in her crate!!! So, in a nut shell, I spent every evening last week cleaning up after the dogs. FIRST WEEK FAIL! And it was such a massive fail, that I had to break down an invest in this:

Bissell Little Green Carpet Cleaner ($99 at Target, Amazon)

If you have a pet that has accidents (or poor digestion), this is an absolute necessity. You can use this in conjuction with the pet stain and odor remover, and it will work miracles on your carpet!!!!!

The good news is that Otto and Clair have now sorted it out, and we're back to a more normal schedule!

The Great Fire of 2009: Lessons I Learned

This is going to be an a-typical post. However, I feel so strongly about thus topic, that I think it's worth discussing. Exactly one year ago, N and I experienced something that most people never have to go through; we survived a fire.

It was 3.00am when we woke up to a massive BOOM! There was a gas leak in our neighbors apartment, and as she lit a cigarette, her apartment exploded, subsequently causing her wall to collapse into out yard and onto our wall. As N, Otto and I evacuated our apartment, we had to crawl under burning debris; it was surreal. Luckily, there was only one serious injury (she has since recovered) but no casualties, and in the end, everyone's lives rebounded and returned to normal. But here's the lessons i've learned.

1. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE INSURANCE! It's a pre-requisite if you're a homeowner, but for all my renting readers PLEASE get renters insurance. It's not a lot per year, and will be worth it should you ever have to suffer through a fire or robbery. You may be thinking "oh, my stuff isn't worth much", but trust me, every pair of jeans and shoes, every book, every piece of furniture adds up, and would be very difficult to replace all at once (unless you have a trust fund or have been VERY financially responsible). Besides, you are responsible for clearing the hazardous debris, so at the very least, your insurance will cover that.

2. Order of importance
(a)People
(b)Pets: make sure you have extra collars and leashes/carriers by all your exit doors.
(c)cellphone: sounds silly, but you WILL need it. A lot.
(d)your purse/wallet

This is going to sound callous, but beyond a and b, NOTHING is important. It's all stuff, sentimental or not. c and d are just practical and make your life easier in the immediate hours following the fire, but you can and will be ok without them.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for and accept help
This is not the time to be proud or shy. There are so many details to take care of that they can get almost overwhelming. Lean on your support system.

4. If people and pets are safe, long run, everything will be fine.

If you shop for anything this week, please let it be renters insurance if you don't have it already. I hope you never have to go through a fire, but if you do, insurance will help make sure all your "stuff" is replaced. This I know from experience.

We'll be back to more "normal" posts tomorrow!

Bad Romance

Every relationship has its ups and downs. My shoe-relationship is no exception. Blisters. The scourge of every shoe relationship. Left unchecked, it can wreak havoc and destroy a beautiful romance. The solution?

Use the Friction Block ($5.29 at Target) at the first sign of blisters. I usually have one in my purse for emergencies. If you're carrying a purse that's too small for such practicalities, and its too late, use the Blister Band-Aid ($3.69, also at Target. There's also a generic version, but I figured I would try the brand first). The Blister Fingers and Toes promises instant relief (this part is true) and faster healing (its my first try, so I don't know what "faster" is yet). Your feet will thank me later!