The One that started about organic nailcare, then some products got in the way

Organic Nail Care is no easy feet. Not many companies cater to at home nail care taking into consideration the ingredients put into their products. I love my beauty products, and I'd love to be more eco-friendly with them, but not at the expense of losing the fun of it, or if it makes it harder.

For Christmas I was given a bunch of nail polishes.Two were organic seeing as I am trying to move into a natural world of beauty this seemed like a good time to test them against what I already use . The first was Karma Organic Nail Polish - Curtain Call (Venom).

It is a delectable color in dark, sultry maroon/almost purple.

Its the kind of color that makes me happy its winter and I can indulge in all the colors I would have worn if I was a vampire, which is exactly how this color makes me feel.

It also happens to be all natural, non-toxic, and free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, Phthalates (DBP)

Not only is the line toxic free its also cruelty free, uses recyclable packaging, and has a great mission statement.

As for the color itself, the organic lines tend to have a more watery consistency, so it takes a few coats to get the shade you desire, but it dries very fast, and the smell is very mild. All in all, I would trade this line in for any of my old stand buys. They seem to only have a small number of colors in basics, muted on both sides of light and dark. Lights perfect for business meetings and darks perfect for going out on the town or to dinner and a movie.

I bought it online with amazon at a cost of $9.99, with many colors to come, this might be my standby for my dark colors replacing my OPI and ESSIE box of nail polishes spilling over. These colors are not as complex or thick as their synthetic counterparts at OPI and the big name brands but they lack the chemicals, and I actually like that the consistency lets my nails try quicker without needing a ton of other topcoat, base coat, unnecessary other bottles on top of them too.

The Second organic bottle I received was from a organic salon and the line is called No-Miss Cosmetics "healthy alternative products you can afford" toots their sponsors.

Now this company, which I had previously never heard of goes one step beyond not including all the bad stuff like Kharma, but actually includes a UV inhibitor in the polish to save your nails from the heat.

The company itself has its own mission statement: "No-Miss has taken a New, Innovative, Young and Fresh way to market & manufacture cosmetics for the New Generation, using natural resources to develop non-chemical, non-cancerous products without harming the environment"

I Think that's pretty cool they are working so hard in their industry to make beauty that matters all around. I also like that they seem to be a smaller scale independent beauty retailer on the market, and who doesn't love supporting small businesses. Now, about the nail polish itself:

BIKINI PINK

The nail color is in Bikini Pink. The color itself is very fun. Light pink with strips of cream and brighter hues as you shake the bottle. It glides on thicker than the Kharma polish, and more like other store brand polishes, but takes only 1-2 coats to get the color right. Its a muted pink-mauve and I like it. Not too beachy, but enough color without being too boring. It takes a lot of time for it to dry, much longer than I am used to, but all in all this is another one that will be replacing my ESSIE old colors.

So the consensus is as far as organic nail polish goes, it is no different than regular nail polish. The prices seem about the same, the quality the same, although the colors are a bit more muted and day glo and seem to lack deeper color complexity in shimmery tones or glitter, but I would say just as good and because of the great mission statements and lack of baddy additives I would say they come out on top of the nail polish trend. So if you're going to do your own nails, I say go organic, and I would definitely recommend these companies. Especially Kharma's Venom. I'm wearing it right now and I feel empowered to go out an dance or at least try and sit sultry at a bar ordering red and listening to jazz. That's what this color makes me want to do.

What do your nail colors make you feel like? Do they take you to another world? Do you match them with the event you are going, or on the weekends do you decide the color you choose will choose what you feel like doing that weekend. A sunny yellow might mean you feel like doing a beach weekend, a dark black might mean a late night concert, and glitter means you are pretty much ready for wherever the party will be!

Its 2012, and wow I need to start writing again

Hello again! It has been ages since I have gone back to writing. A lot has happened so here's a recap, and since apparently I only catch up on stuff when its the New Year, here are the major differences since last I wrote:
- I am now a full-fledged professional. I have an office, a stapler, business cards that I do not make on my own computer, and people actually listen to the things I say and actively participate in my advice (well, usually anyway).
- I'm a real lawyer. This should fall into the same category as number one, but the surprising thing is I actually love (almost) every minute of it.
- I moved back in with my parents...sad, backwards transition period
- My BF lives far, far away and we have been struggling with ups and downs of long distance
- We will either make or break in 6-8 months from now
- I am actively paying my loans back
- My BFF had a baby, and he's the cutest thing I've ever seen, and everytime I listen to him it makes me realize my biological clock is getting close to the time I should want to have my own soon

And now for the Resolutions...its really just one big one I need to incorporate into all aspects of my life...I need to be more selfish and act on my first responses!
Now, this might seem like a terrible resolution, but I've hit that point in my life that I know very soon I will have to make some big changes, like moving out, buying a house/renting an apartment, seriously devoting all my money to investments/stocks/retirement/getting completely out of debt, and need to think about getting into a serious relationship involving marriage and kids. Obviously this all takes time, and planning, and whatnot, but I feel like I spent a significant period of time worrying about all this stuff last year.

Now, I have a great job I like, I have some extra cash, I am single (as in not married, I of course am completely in love and devoted to HWSNBNITB), and this first year of getting a new job and working so hard for everything should lead one to have at least a little bit of selfish time.

So from now on, I am going to spend more time, money, and energy on working on myself and whatever makes me happy. Obviously, going overboard is out of the question because I do still need to be realistic about all my previous goals, but I am going to give myself this year to just enjoy being a single professional. If I want to go to a fancy dinner once in awhile I will. If I want to blow off snobby work functions and go to yoga instead I will. And if I want to spend an obscene amount of money on a gorgeous pair of shoes, or a massage, or a to die-for lipstick, then I will. I have very few years ahead of me lacking all serious responsibilities, so instead of rushing towards them, I am going to spend one year just indulging. 2012 is going to be my year of me to have the healthy, happy indulgent carefree lifestyle having the time and the means to do so allows me. So here's to a glass of champagne on a Saturday afternoon, and taking an afternoon off to get a massage.

I feel like too many people dive right into real world responsibilities upon entering the real world. That's not why I worked so hard in school. I worked hard so I can find a job I like to go to, have the money to allow me some indulgences, and the time to keep healthy. I now have the ability to do all that. So rather than bemoan living at home, and paying off my loans, and being sad I'm not yet engaged and planning a wedding or having a baby or house hunting, I am going to spend this year relishing the things I could never allow myself before.

I will have tons of time to work my ass of for my career, find the right guy and settle down, and stress about babies and houses. For right now, I just want to enjoy some time at yoga, playing with my puppy, splurge on a great meal, good bottle of wine, and some fancy beauty products. And take a moment to talk to my relatives, my best friends, and send surprise presents to my loved ones. My loans will still be there to pay off next year, my job will always let me work harder, and investments will come in time. But for now, I want to plant trees, volunteer, talk to my friends, have great hair, buy great fruits and veggies, and sleep in whenever I can.

So here's to me for 2012. My year of selfishness to act like I'm 17 with a professional's salary and just be me. To spend the time to not be in shape but be healthy and happy. To buy presents for no reason. To take days off to do nothing but read in my rocking chair. To play with my dog, and to just relax and splurge for me and my loved ones. To not worry about my eggs, or my ringless finger, and just let things come. To have a year to reap the benefits to hard work and sacrifice.

In fact, I am going to sign off and buy that fancy yoga mat I've had my eye on. Ta ta for now!

New Years Resolutions Revised

Hi, my name is Carly and I am a product junkie. It's true. And to some, this may not seem like a profound or even surprising revelation because its not. However, every January I somehow convince myself (much like the rest of the world) that I am going to become a completely different person this year and going to simplify my life. So after Christmas I haul hug trash bags of unworn and unseen clothes to donation drop offs, I unload my books on my friends and the library, and I vow this will be the year I stop buying so much stuff, namely products. I do so in the name of good Ol' Mother Earth as half the stuff on my vanity probably contains dyes, chemicals, and any amount of unknown cancer-secreting compounds it is no good for me or my planet, and since I spend the rest of the year planting trees, donating money, recycling, composting and working for the environment I should do the same inside my bedroom.

Yet, there is this deep, dark, loud voice that sounds a lot like Gollum from Lord of the Rings creeping up over the next few months after reading a magazine or going through the mall that says, "hmm...pretty eyeliner" "OMG! Look at her skin!" and "My hair could do that too if only I had...", which makes me immediately drop unheard of amounts of cash on items I would have never before considered essential to my existence. And this process happens over and over again until finally I look over in the shower and at my vanity and see hundreds of half-used products I will probably never get rid of and then am faced with the quandary: throwing it out would be wasteful, however using harmful products on my skin simply because I have them doesn't seem like the best idea either...ahhh! And then I sit down and cry and go outside away from the mocking products before me. And this happens every year.

So far, after looking at my list of resolutions from last year I think I did pretty well. I stayed active, I eat pretty well, my clothes all fit in my closet (snuggly, but hey, I am a girl after all), and I haven't dyed my hair. However, the looming products list is still vast and wide. In fact I'm pretty sure I still see some makeup I had while I made my resolution list last year! So this year I am making a different vow, one that I actually came up with a few months before 2011 and so far am sticking with successfully. This year I am going to embrace my product junkiness! I am going to revel in it. I am going to throw out the things I don't use but I am not going to feel bad when yet another attractive sales girl wins me over with her lipstain. Yet, I am setting some guidelines for my purchasing frenzy.

1. The product must be as eco-friendly as possible. No parabens, no sulfates, as little amount of chemicals or fragrance as possible and hopefully organic. Thankfully being eco-conscious is now en vogue so this makes this set even better and I don't have to feel badly about using it or not.

2. I must research the brand and make sure they are cruelty-free before even considering looking at anything in their line. If not, then I am out. There are so many brands out there now making a huge stride towards helping the animals and there are so many brands out there that it is just silly to buy something that tests on animals when I can find an equal product which doesn't.

3. If faced with the option, buy from an independent. My mother used to be a painter and now makes gorgeous crystal necklaces, and I've seen similar things around the mall, however I always like hers better and I wonder, "why would someone buy something inferior when there is a superior product available?", yet I do the same thing. With the advent of online marketing, catalogs, and online stores like Etsy, it is so easy to find an affordable gift or product that is handmade, satisfies options 1 & 2 and helps out independent business owners. So why wouldn't I do that?! I admit its harder when it comes to makeup, but soaps, candles, and lotions are made my local farmers all over the place, especially in the Northeast, so I am going to make an effort to support the local businessmen and women.

4. Before buying, check it out online. I have found making the effort to check for something online instead impulse purchasing stops me from buying 50% of the items I could have sworn I wouldn't live without. Not only that, but it also ensures that things I do buy I truly want, and saves me some money becuase oftentimes I can find the same product or something similar for less if I hunt around online. Downside is that hunting around online often means I end up with something else I might like to have, its a vicious circle, but it makes me happier.

With these tips in mind, I can now proudly say I have rid myself of the extra drawer under my sink of doubled up products and I now have my makeup bag at a manageable size. Additionally, I have bought a few books on Eco-beauty so I now make my own eye makeup remover, and might even venturing into doing the same with lotions. All in all, I am happy with my products and my high maintenance lifestyle and embracing it with some ground rules is way easier than lying to myself for 11 months then getting depressed every January.

Just for reference here are some brands and products I absolutely love!

Brands that are eco-friendly and cruelty-free: Tarte, Josie Maran, The Body Shop, Ouidad, Carol's Daughters.


And so, for those of you with my affliction won't have to go on wondering, here's what I am using as my products:

Shampoo: LUSH Cynthia Sylvia Stout or if I'm traveling, the Kharma bar. It smells like beer in a good way, and makes your hair oh so shiny.
Conditioner: Kheil's Argan Smoothing Conditioner. It is the best ever! Makes my curly, fried hair calm and serene.
Body Wash: Sicilian Blood Orange Mafia Soap by Mount Harmony. My mom and I used to work for the company, as such I will probably be cutting off soap from these logs until I die, however all the soaps are homemade and smell magnificent. Here's the link, but if you really want to try one, I'm sure I can get you a sample from our hall closet! http://www.mountharmony.com/
Body Scrub: Fresh's Brown Sugar Scrub. This was a Christmas gift because even on my most binging days I wouldn't spend this much, but it is lovely and makes me oh so soft.
Face Wash: Philosophy Purity Cleanser. I fell in love with Philosophy and their multi-tasking line of shampoo, body washes, however this face wash doesn't make my oh so sensitive skin freak out.


Moisturizer: Josie Maran Argan Oil. I cannot describe how weirdly fabulous this stuff is. I also love the bronzing oil, but when I am feeling lazy this is all I need that I went all out and bought the big bottle.
Makeup Remover: I make my own! Mixing 1 Tablespoon of castor oil and 1/8 cup of grapeseed oil (both can be found at most local grocery stores) and dump into my old makeup removing bottle. Make sure to shake before using.
Body Lotion: Pure coconut oil. Can buy it at any health food store. It comes either in liquid or solid, but I like it in solid form because it melts in your hand and on your skin when you rub it in and it smells divine!


And finally, things that don't leave my purse without me being very, very sad:

Ultrabalm by LUSH, which is good for dry hands, knees, elbows, lips, and occasionally used to make a cream eyeshadow. It also smells like honey to me, which is always a bonus in a moisturizer.
Hi! That's me! Josie Maran's finger paints. As you can see I mix them around a bit, but they make a good on the go eyeshadow cream, blush, lip color, and highlighter. It is also made with Argan oil which I will explain makes me oh so happy below.
The Big Kahuna in my opinion. Josie Maran's Argan Oil. Obviously this isn't the one that goes in my purse, but I keep the sample in my purse and refill with the big one. I use it as a moisturizer, defrizzer, cuticle fixer, and all around everything fixer to my body. If it weren't so gosh darn expensive I'd probably bathe in it.
The bees knees in lip care! Sorry, I had to. Burt's Bees lip balm in pomegranate because HWSNBNITB has an aversion to all things mint (weird, I know), so this makes me still kissable in his eyes.
Tarte lipstain in Moody. I liked the name and the fact its not really pink and stays on fairly well. It claims to give you 6000% moisture back on your lips which is quite a statement, but it doesn't dry mine out and that's all I have to say about that.
Victoria's Secret Sexy Little Things NOIR Body Mist. I know, I know, I try not to be a VS fan, however this smells amazing, is relatively inexpensive and comes in a plastic bottle I can't break, so it is Carly-proof.

Finally, some non-related beauty products I find essential (and yes, I do have a very large purse):

The Body Shop Satsuma Hand Sanitizer. Now, I generally don't buy into the hand sanitizing craze and do believe it causes super bugs, but that's a story for another time, and seeing as I occasionally work with children and take flights, I find something necessary. This kind has no chemicals and only has alcohol as its acting agent. Not to mention it smells pretty good.
This is a small, pocket sized reusuable bag that clips inside your purse or your wallet which I find fantastic since I often go to places only needing one thing and come out with a dozen. What I find extra amazing is that I am able to get it back into its little package here without the help of NASA!
Finally, I know you will think this is weird, but its a glass straw! Now hear me out: I love drinking things out of sippy cups. The best things are in one: Blizzards, Slurpees, movie theater soda, however I have recently learned so much waste and production go into each plastic straw, not to mention the paper packaging, the shipping and of course the actual one-use straw. However, I didn't want to give up the fun of sipping, so my beloved bf gave me this as a gift and I have to tell you its the best! It comes with its own squeegee cleaning pipe and case to carry around with and comes with a lifetime warranty! LIFETIME! Now that's something I can get behind. So I do not have to go without anymore and I can sip my slurpee guilt-free (well, sort of, if you don't count the plastic cup or the sugar content or the calories, but I'm only human, and I don't...baby steps).

So that's my resolution. To embrace me and I think you should all do the same (especially you fair-weather gym goers becuase you are taking up bench space lifting those 5 lbs. weights I know you are going to give up on come February, so accept your fate now and let us gym rats do our work!) Phew! Had to get that one off my chest. Be you this 2011. Just a better version and I will try to do the same.

Who's Got Style, Or Why I Hate My BF's Plates

WHO'S GOT STYLE?

I have a very distinct interior style. Much like my way of life, its a little quirky, a little eclectic and there's a lot of colors involved. Generally, this isn't an issue because I tend to give gifts and helpful suggestions to match my friends and family's taste with a little bit of me as a flourish. But then I met HWSNBNITB, and now we are trying to merge our styles together. Now normally girls across the world rejoice at this thought because it means the male eventually wears down to a nub and relents to whatever taste she wants as long as it doesn't have an enormous price tag attached and he gets to keep his big screen. Yet, I seem to have found the one man left in the universe who has style, a very specific style, a style that can only be described as Euro-Mod. Where I like flowers, and mason jars, and tons of colors in many different hues, He likes glass, black and the only color hue allowed is a dark blood red.

Originally we moved into his apartment which meant all of his stuff stayed including the red leather couch I've never actually witnessed in real life outside of an 80s bachelor pad and the matching rug, bed frame, and all black furniture. In addition to the lack of secondary colors in his apartment, he also prefers things that only seem to have a purpose and may belong in a German museum somewhere in the future. I'm not saying its a bad style, in fact if his apartment were actually the setting in a New York City borough or hotel in Downtown DC he could charge enormous prices for staying in it a la the W, which I love. However, I'm a homebody. I like my apartment to feel homey and warm, and filled with knick-knacks that have no purpose whatsoever then to make you feel good. I like flowers and tie-dye, and am a hippie at heart. So what happens when these two people join together and try to make a home? I end up with a bachelor red leather couch and hating my plates and he ends up knocking over teapots and finding places for a million pillows of different shapes, sizes, and colors every time he cleans the living room.

Pictured here are the mocking pieces of chinaware I spend all day despising. They seem unassuming. They actually match the rest of the red-black decor of the rest of the house, however this is the kitchen. This is my zone and I hear them mocking me whenever I cook. The kitchen is supposed to be filled with flowers, and pretty chinaware and plates that hug the food, however these square pieces of smugness do no such thing. They are incredibly heavy, giving the impression they are fit for oven-to-table use, yet as I have unfortunately learned do not go from oven-to-table without being shattered to bits (sorry Randolph Street oven, please forgive me!). They also chip moving from one part of the kitchen to another, going in the dishwasher, or when you look at them funny. Also due to their inordinate weight they make a loud crashing sound when food is placed on them or even when placed near one another, proving these plates are too good for even each other. I hate these plates. I hate that they have no pretty, girly design on them, I hate they make my arms sore when I put them away when they are clean and I hate that they simply do not match the lifestyle I want. "But they were so cheap!" HWMNBNITB exclaims. "They match," he says as I sneer for the umpteenth time about the plates.

Now we have moved and I have hope for this new apartment. We still have the mod style, however I have found ways of sneaking small pictures, photos, and decorations undetected into the home-sphere. Here is a lovely picture of me hanging up the new shower curtain (eco-friendly, washable, and very pretty). I have my comfy throw on the couch, and any time something new appears on a corner of the counter HWSNBNITB just cocks his head and smiles about it now. I even have come to love the red couch ("Big Red" as I have originally named it in my head). I can sleep on it comfortably while watching TV and spent many nights studying on it. Big Red also seems to have livened up with some multi-colored pillows and we became friends after I discovered my cup of coffee can balance on it without incident. However, the plates are still here. There are fewer of them than we started with, but every time I go into the kitchen I can feel them lying in wait.

We've been here for a few days and are just starting to get situated. Here's HWSNBNITB putting together yet another piece of black furniture, his desk chair. Yet plates did not make the list of items we needed to purchase for the new home. And just when I felt defeated and that the apartment with HWSNBNITB will never really feel like home, he announced we are going to buy new plates. Lighter ones and we can agree on a pattern together. And that's what a home says about the people who live there: a compromise between two people who wouldn't seem to fit, but in the end it all comes together. I don't know what plates we will end up with, but I do know I will love them because we got them together.


FYI, here's a pic of our almost finished living room, featuring Big Red. More to come.



**************UPDATE!!!!!********************


We did it! After many hours together we finally succeeded in finding the perfect plates for the perfect table. HWSNBNITB says it reminds him of Dr. Seuss and I think he is completely right. So, if Dr. Suess or any small children decide to come to dinner we are ready! So here is our beautiful table with our new dinnerware. For those so interested the colors are fiestaware in Lemongrass, Scarlet, Peacock, Turquoise, Cobalt, and Tangerine.

Ms. JD Writer in Residence 2011

Well, its official: after years of mocking the blogging trend, I have now sought out new ways to enter it. The internet really is a trap sometimes. So I've been selected to have my own blog on the Ms. JD website about the balance between life and law. If I had to pick one I must say I probably dabble more in life than in law, but I also have more fun than the average VBS cardmember. So...here's the website, which I will be cross posting from here from now on. Please leave comments or just say how fabulous I am because it really will make my day.

As for the life portion - I will be taking vacation to Pensacola, Florida from New Years until mid-January, setting up HWSNBNITB in his new pad. So Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and make sure to get a good smootch! Ta-Ta!

Here it is: http://ms-jd.org/topic/features/writers-residence

http://ms-jd.org/law-or-not-law-part-i-generation-%E2%80%93-what-you-really-need-make-it-through-law-and-life

The True Joy of Cooking is to Try and Try Again

I have owned "The Joy of Cooking" three separate times in my short lifespan, and currently own not one. This has to say something about the way I cook. Some might not find this an interesting statistic, especially if one assumes I am an avid cook who gives this book away because it is used so often and I must have the newest revised addition each time it comes out, but one would be wrong. First off, no one can actually go out and buy "The Joy of Cooking." It is one of those books that must be given to you upon moving into a new apartment, engagement, marriage, or otherwise important phase in your life in which people (aka your mother) believes it is necessary you begin learning how to use things in your kitchen. This is exactly how I have acquired this massive anthology of food so many times.

I went to college and got a copy from my mother when I moved 5 states away to begin a new chapter of my life, however that chapter was overshadowed by 7 narcissistic female roommates, one of whom stole it. It didn't matter much to me since dorm room living leaves a lot to be desired as far as a kitchen goes and my mini fridge held all I wanted anyway.

My last year of college I proclaimed I met the man of my dreams and we moved into my first apartment together where there was actually a kitchen to use and my mother gave me the anniversary edition of "The Joy of Cooking." I think I read the introduction and a chapter on how to mince garlic before letting it sit in the corner as the recipes required equipment I did not have out of my Target Kitchen-in-a-Box, and any way my new love pretty much only ate vegetables, cheese, and bread. As predicted, new love fades, we packed up our stuff in separate boxes and went on our separate ways. I do not wish to say he stole the book, it was probably lost in the shuffle (however, if this were a very honest and true memoir and I really have o shame as far as making things seem tactful in print, he totally stole it).

So I moved back home with an English degree, a Social Science degree, and a broken heart with no idea what to do next, my mother (being the Queen of finding any part time job available) went with me to apply to a job at a bookstore, and to make me feel better about my broken heart and sad new job prospects, bought me the newest anniversary edition, sitting prettily on the edge of the shelf in all its glory, and we took it home and baked pie.

Months went by, but my mother's kitchen is still my mother's kitchen and after an inordinately long period of living in her house, not being allowed to use the good pots or pans, and sick and tired of shelving books 10 hours a day, I did what all lost college graduates do and I moved to Europe, Ireland to be exact.

In Ireland, not only did I find a great room in a house near the river with a kitchen, but I also found roommates who knew how to cook. The first was a culinary chef who went to culinary school during the day and worked at a restaurant at night. He knew how to make the most fascinating dishes I had ever seen out of what appeared to be flour and corn mash from the cupboard. Another roommate was studying to be a herbologist which meant he could tell you the properties of every kind of herb, where it grew, and what it was best used in. He brought me to the hydroponic farm and botanical gardens and explained how lavender cross-pollinated, when the best time to cut basil was, and he juggled. My third roommate was getting her Masters in International Affairs and grew up on a farm in Cork. When I was low on money her and her family took me in, let me work for food and rent, and owned chickens! I learned how to plow, that most of what you throw away can be composted either to feed the animals or to put in the garden, and I learned chicken eggs stay warm long after their lain. My last roommate was French. With her came crusty, flaky, beautiful breads and creamy, smelly cheese sauces, which I imagine flowing outside the gates of Heaven. I'm not sure what she was doing in Ireland other than being a lost expatriate like me, but goodness was I glad she was there.

We had a happy home and most every night all of use gathered in a separate corridor to help with the cooking. Shawn brought home leftover meats from the restaurant. Bryan brought with him fresh cut herbs from school (and usually some pretty flowers from the gardens to put around the house). Gail brought home fresh eggs from the farm as well as the most juicy fruits and veggies (the tomatoes in particular were divine, and who knew tomatoes came in so many colors), and Lucy and I waited patiently for our orders. We would go to the shops for the other necessities and I learned the differences between Roquefort and blue cheese (and also learned not to forget it in your backpack for more than a few hours or you will have the memory of that dinner for a lot longer than you want). I watched how to flip pancakes, the proper way to muddle basil, and about a thousand other things. But most of all, I was allowed in the kitchen with the pots and pans. I was allowed near the chopping, cutting, baking, and I learned I loved to cook. I learned the recipe is not a manual but a guidance towards things yet to come. However, I also learned The Republic of Ireland thinks work visas are really important, and after 6 months mine was up. I spent a few more months traveling, then bid adieu to my new friends, however my new found love of the kitchen stayed with me on the long, sad flight back to the States.

And as life does tend to repeat itself, I went back to school, not seeing another option, for another 3 years. It has now been 8 years since my first cookbook endeavor and I have been given a few ever since, but no one forgets their first and my first was "The Joy of Cooking," so as I went to reclaim my time in the kitchen, it turns out the last "Joy of Cooking" did not make the shuffle back and forth from Ireland through grad school. Sigh. But as I stare at my bookshelf I can see all the things standing in the place of where the once behemoth book used to live: My travel journal from Ireland, my tassel from both graduations, the copy of Dr. Suess' Cat and the Hat I read at story time in the bookstore, a picture of my best friend's new baby boy, A vegan cupcake book, the history of wine, my recipe binder filled with the recipes I have collected from friends and magazines over the years, and a map of the East Coast. Looking at it now, all I can think is that my bookshelf doesn't seem to be missing anything important at all. Its filled with memories, love, and good times in kitchen from the very beginning. And I'm sure when I buy house or get married or participate in any other of the milestones of life to come I might get another copy of "The Joy of Cooking," but as for now, the joy of cooking looks to me like I already have it.

Mecca

The Mecca

So I went into Sephora the other day, just for a quick browse and to pick up some concealer since I heard wonders about their cooling stick, and I had some leftover Hannukah money in my pocket, and as you can probably guess the punchline, I ended up walking out with $120 worth of purchases, but I must say I am happy with all of them (and that almost never happens). On top of that, I now have the perfect to-go bag for my trips! Here's what my loot was:

Cargo concealer and foundation in one(26): Originally, I walked in to get Sephora's concealer, however I have now read roughly 1,000 articles on Cargo's magic 2-in-1 container, so I had to try it out. And though not the best job at hiding all of my flaws, I must say I was impressed. It glides smoothly, doesn't cake up and while not completely concealing my blemishes it didn't dry them out and make them more noticeable, so I walked away with this little gem. I don't wear foundation so I found this well worth buying a tinted moisturizer and concealer.

Ouidad Tress Effects Gel (15): Ouidad. This is the curly-haired girl's line. I have never seen a more marketed product line that Ouidad for curly haired girls. It is supposedly "understands" and "memorizes" my curls. I'm creeped out and intrigued all at the same time. However, it is wintertine which means my hair will more likely conform to my straightening iron than any other time of year so I am taking full advantage of my pho-straight hair, however I will let you know how it works out.

Smashbox Master Class kit (59): This was definition of impulse buying. It was there with the pretty box and had all the makings of things I loved. Smashbox itself is a great name brand I am religious to loving, but it had everything I needed for my travel makeup kit: lipgloss, mascara, under eye cream, and shadow. The only thing I will complain about is that it does not have a mirror, WHY would they DO that?! It is clearly meant to travel so how do they expect me to use it all?! Anyway, it is now my go-to makeup and haven't used anything since. Big recommendation, though I think its seasonal.

Josie Moran Mini stick ($60): I am skeptical of models turned eco-friendly. I don't believe they look that way without chemicals for one, and for another she doesn't always seem to know what she is talking about. But I will admit her lip glosses are divine and she does give you the list of the ingredients which gives her a big round of applause in my book. This little stick claims it can do anything because of the "argan oil." I have no idea what this is, but it seems to be her main ingredient and claim to fame. It did tame my flyaways and made my hands softer but I cannot say with any validation that it turns back the hand of time for your skin or any of the other too good to be true exploitations on her site. I would like to try more from her line and her earth-friendly style gives her a big thumbs up from me, so if you've tried her stuff let me know!

Freddrick Fekkai Color Mask Treatment ($38): My pride and joy. I have mentioned my hair hates me for all the years of abuse I put it through, but this wonderful conditioner has saved what is left of it. I use it 2-3x a week and as a deep conditioning treatment when I am bored and have an afternoon to kill (put on, shower cap, robe, couple episodes of gossip girl, bottle of wine, and there's your friday night in). Its a miracle. It smooths it out, doesn't stick to hair leaving it greasy, and though is on the waaaaaay pricier side of things is well worth it. I savor every bit and dread the moment I have to go back and get more.


So, that's a month's worth of loan salary right there, but its all in the Xmas spirit so it makes me happy and that's all that matters. Happy shopping everyone!