Fitness Tip: Lose Your Buds

Of course I don't mean that you should tell your running buddies "sayonara," (I literally just Googled "how to spell 'goodbye' in Japanese") but sometimes when you've got a lot on your mind and really need to decompress, nothing helps more than running/jogging/walking/biking sans headphones.

from Megaversal via Flickr

I've had a lot on my mind lately (more on that later this week), so walking Molly without the distraction of Weezer or Jay-Z or Fergie-Ferg blasting in my ear has been incredibly calming. I have ALWAYS been of the school of "I can't possibly exercise without music," and in a gym, that's 100% accurate. But we're so plugged in these days, with our smart phones and iPods and interwebs and what-have-you that it's nice to take an hour or so to completely unplug, sweat it out and be alone with your thoughts. And I've worked out a lot of things and have made some pretty big decisions doing this over the past few weeks.

AND, you know what? I've actually ended up exercising longer, because I'm not burning out on my same ol' playlists. I have ample mental distractions to keep me occupied until, oh, 2073.

What about you? Do you ever completely unplug to work out, or do you have to have music?

Movie to See: I Am Love

I tend to be the kind of gal to forgo intellectual, foreign films for the newest Matthew McConaughey flick, but every once in a while an artsy film comes along that I HAVE to see. I Am Love is one of those films.


From iamlovemovie.com:
I AM LOVE tells the story of the wealthy Recchi family, whose lives are undergoing sweeping changes. Eduardo Sr., the family patriarch, has decided to name a successor to the reigns of his massive industrial company, surprising everyone by splitting power between his son Tancredi, and grandson Edo. But Edo dreams of opening a restaurant with his friend Antonio, a handsome and talented chef. At the heart of the family is Tancredi's wife Emma (Tilda Swinton), a Russian immigrant who has adopted the culture of Milan. An adoring and attentive mother, her existence is shocked to the core when she falls quickly and deeply in love with Edo's friend and partner Antonio, and embarks on a passionate love affair that will change her family forever.

Even though I Am Love isn't playing in a theater near me (and really? People in Alabama like artsy stuff just as much as people anywhere else), I've already got it in my Netflix queue. So check the site to see if it's playing near you, and if so, let me know how it is!

Blogs to be Aware of: Catalog Living

A big thank you to my friend Brittany for introducing me to Catalog Living, a blog that takes beautiful home interior photos from catalogs and magazines and tries to figure out what in the world they're thinking with some of that random accessories placement and styling.

From the site:
I’ve only set out personalized towels for Margaret and Patrick, but I see three people arriving on horseback…if they’re bringing a friend I wish they had told me ahead of time. The embroider is fast but not that fast.

Hi Nancy, it’s Elaine. I’m going to be a little late for lunch. I can’t find my hat or my back-up hat.

This site combines two things I love: home interiors and snarky commentary. A+

Video Friday: Sassy Gay Friend

It's Friday and I'm struggling for something interesting to write about, so I'll just let you start your weekend off right with a Sassy Gay Friend video. Enjoy!

Goin' to see Jimmy UPDATED

You all know how I feel about the oil spill. One of the things that concerned me most about it was the devastation to the economy along the Gulf coast, but thanks to my all-time favorite entertainer, Jimmy Buffett, maybe the coastal economy won't see its end yet.

Jimmy and friends (Zac Brown, Kenny Chesney, etc) are performing a free concert next Thursday, July 1, on the beach in Gulf Shores, Ala., my home away from home. So. Excited. So if you're anywhere near the area, come on down and enjoy a great time for a good cause. While you're there, grab some grub at the Original Oyster House, or Mikee's, or the Gulf Shores Steamer, or King Neptune's, or any of the other great restaurants in the area. Go shopping! Play golf! Come hang out with me!

UPDATED: Well good Lord I wrote this post yesterday, and apparently 35,000 tickets sold out within about 10 seconds. Now we're finding out that Ticketmaster gave tickets to condos down there early so they could be sold as packages. So I didn't get tickets. But you know what? I'm still heading to the coast to support the economy. And if the gentle tunes of Jimmy make their way to the house's porch, well, all the better.

Wayfarers On, Baby*

The appeal of the Ray-Ban Wayfarer is one that alluded me until recently. An '80s staple, they seemed more "Pretty in Pink" than "chic." Even though they've been spotted on countless celebrities recently, I wasn't quite into them. But the more I saw them on "real" people, the more my opinion changed.

Even though I am and always will be a Ray-Ban Aviator gal, I'm considering expanding my sunglasses collection to include a pair of Wayfarers. What do you think? Love them or hate them? Safe Katy thinks that basic black is the way to go, but would a colored pair be more fun? Or would I never wear them? I don't know. Your suggestions are appreciated.

*Bonus points if you caught the Don Henley reference.

Flip Flops: A Love Story

Maybe a pair of flip flops doesn't can't constitute an "era," but when you've been wearing the same pair as long as I have, they sort of become part of you. I bought this pair of Rainbows when I was a sophomore in college (that was TEN years ago, for those of you keeping track). And they've held up amazingly well. The leather conformed to my feet, and the straps were tight enough that they didn't fly off when I tried to run in them.

But after about a decade, my right big toe wasn't getting to join in the fun of having a barrier between it and the ground anymore, and the leather was so cracked that it was pinching the the bottom of my feet. Also, Trusty Boyfriend called them "gross" on more than one occasion and was visibly embarrassed when I'd wear them in public, so it was time for a new pair.

Oh, I agonized. I have a couple of pairs of Tevas and some Chacos I like pretty well, but man - the Rainbows were my faves. I went to Mountain High Outfitters during lunch yesterday, and tried on a few things. I even considered a pair of Tom's, but those just made me look homeless.

I was sad. I needed something new, but just couldn't bring myself to buy any of these flippies. So what did I do?

I bought the exact same pair.

(Yes, this is the exact same pair of shoes in the same color, believe it or not. The good people at Rainbow make one helluva shoe. And I apparently walk around in mud fairly regularly.)

I guess when you find something that works, you should stick with it. So that's what I'm doing. This pair was $50 with tax, but if you factor that they last for 10 years, that price comes out to 1.3 cents a day. I mean, bargain!

What are your favorite, go-to casual shoes? These new Rainbows just won't be the same, but at least I won't have to touch the floors of public restrooms with my bare toe anymore.

Finally - Some Ireland Pictures

I've been back from Ireland for a month and finally got my photos (all 927 of them) off the camera, on the computer, culled and categorized. This is obviously just a tiny sample, but you can still see what a beautiful country it is and how much fun we had. I'll upload more to Facebook, so if you're my friend, you can check them out there, and if you're not, well, why the heck not??? Let's be friends.




























Kissing the Blarney Stone

Beauty Review: Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder

I've never been much for foundation. Rubbing liquid foundation on my face always felt a little like smearing hummus into my pores, so I tend to shy away from it. But I'm also the unfortunate victim of a bit of adult acne. I try to solve that with Proactiv, which helps tremendously, but sometimes you just have to cover up those blemishes the best way you know how.

Enter Smashbox's Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder, $59. My friend (and amazing hair stylist) Margaret introduced me to Smashbox several months ago. Margaret always has the latest makeup products, so it's fun to go play in her makeup drawer after she gives my hair its much-needed trimming. And when she pulled out a Smashbox bronzer and blush, I knew she was onto something.
The next day I went to Ulta and talked to one of their makeup artists about my skin. I have oily skin that breaks out (even though I'm closing in on the big 3-0), but I didn't want anything that was going to dry out my face. She suggested this Halo Perfecting Powder and applied a little. It has a cool shaver thing that allows you to shave off only the amount of powder you need. At first it just looked like every other powder I've seen, but once it sat on my face for a couple of minutes, it set in and looked really good. Like - it looked like I was wearing foundation, concealer and powder.

The key to Halo is to use a face primer (I like Sephora's "Tricks of the Trade" anti-shine primer, $18, or Smashbox Photo Finish primer, $36). This seemed like just a ploy to get me to buy more stuff until I actually tried it - it really does make the powder go on smoother. I just apply the primer, brush the powder all over my face, then dab it on any blemishes and under my eyes, and within two minutes it sinks in and looks great.

If you're not much of a makeup girl, give this powder a try. It stays on all day and does really well concealing the less-than-desirable parts of your face without feeling heavy. And one compact has lasted me over a year (and that's using it every day), so the price is fantastic.

DIY: Fish Bowl Pen Holder

Sometimes the best DIYs are the easiest. I needed a pen holder in my office that would keep all my pens at arm's reach, but nothing I found in a store was really cute. So I took a cue from my old pet fish Cleo and made a fish bowl pen holder.

You'll need:

A glass bowl

Fish rocks in any color you like

Pens

Now, read carefully, because these instructions can get complicated. Ready? OK. Open the bag of fish rocks. Pour fish rocks into the bowl about half full. Stick your pens in. Impress your coworkers.

Something like this would also work for makeup brushes or cooking utensils, or, on a much larger scale, fishing poles.

Organized Splendor

Life is hectic right now. So here are some pictures of wonderfully clean, uncluttered, organized spaces, all from Houzz. Enjoy!

Book Review: Dead Until Dark

I'll admit it: I'm not a Twilight fan. I read the first couple of pages and put it down. I don't get the world's facsination with Robert Pattinson. But vampires? I've liked vampires for years. So I decided to give Dead Until Dark, the first book in Charlaine Harris' Souther Vampire Series, a try. It's also the book that spawned True Blood (which I haven't seen, but am told by Trusty Boyfriend that it's good).


From about.com:
Sookie Stackhouse is a telepathic cocktail waitress in a small Lousiana town. She is very pretty, but can't maintain a relationship with anyone of the opposite sex because of her "disability" -- hearing every thought the other person is having.

Bill Compton is a vampire. Since the development of synthetic blood, vampires have "come out of the coffin," making their reality known to the normal world. When Compton walks into Sookie's bar, she is mesmerized and excited to discover that she cannot hear a single thing he's thinking.

Meanwhile, people who are known to hang around with vampires have started being murdered. Bill becomes a suspect, and Sookie's relationship with him is scrutinized. Sookie decides to use her "disability" to her advantage, and begins investigating the crimes.

Dead Until Dark is your typical page turning murder mystery with all these atypical elements thrown in for flavor. Charlaine Harris is a skillful writer, creating an interesting world with a gripping mystery. I recommend Dead Until Dark as light but entertaining reading.

I loved this book from the first page. Sookie is such a likable character - she's naive, but her "disability" can give her a more worldly view of what others are thinking. The way Charlaine Harris mixes traditional vampire lore (vampires can't be near garlic and silver) with new creations (like synthetic B negative blood) is creative and well-thought-out. You root for Sookie and Bill, and absolutely hate some of the other characters.

Bottom line: Pick up Dead Until Dark immediately and read it in one weekend. I'm working on the next book in the series now.

Listen to your Mother: Get the Water Out

It's been a while since the last Listen to your Mother post, and this time, my mom brings you another really helpful laundry tip:

When you wash heavy items (like towels and bath mats) and it takes about 2 ½ days in the dryer before they’re good and crispy, here are two tips: 1) When the wash is complete, reset the washer for Fast Spin again. It’s amazing how much more water will spin out. 2) Check the space where your dryer vents outside your house. You’ll be astounded at the HUGE lint ball bunnies (more like lint cattle) that accumulate to clog the vents and keep the moisture in your clothes.

I'm putting this tip to work tonight. Seems like as good a time as any to try the tip AND get my bathmats clean.

Friday Poll: Where Do Your Extra Bucks Go?

I recently read a post on one of my favorite blogs, Deliciously Organized, polling readers on where they spend their discretionary income. It was really interesting to see how people spend and extra $5 or $10.

Lots of people said they spend money on fresh flowers or gossip magazines or coffee. As for me, I'll grab a magazine I don't already subscribe to (like Real Simple or Marie Claire or Shape), or maybe a pair of earrings from TJ Maxx, or see what's new at Home Goods or the new Big Lots that just opened close to my house.

from Flickr

So I'm curious - what do you pick up if you've got a few extra bucks lying around? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Happy weekend everybody!

Arms Race

Many of you know I have a love/hate relationship with Gwyneth Paltrow. If you don't already subscribe to GOOP, her weekly newsletter, do so just for the sheer amazement of what Gwyneth thinks is doable and affordable for her readers (seriously Gwyneth, I know you and Stella McCartney are buds, but $925 for a sleeveless blouse is a little ridic). I get a laugh every Thursday when GOOP is delivered to my inbox.

But every now and then, ol' Gwyneth comes through for me. Case in point: Gwyneth's personal trainer is none other than batsh*t crazy Tracy Anderson, who thinks her clients can subsist on 400 calories a day. But she does give you one great arm workout that Gwyneth included in a recent issue of GOOP.



I tried this, first without weights and then with little 2 pounders, and could totally feel my arms the next day. The key is to keep your muscles tense the entire time, and make big movements. Even if you can't keep up with Tracy, just keep moving. Do it twice a day, and methinks you'll start seeing results. That's what my plan is, anyway.

Buy an Apron, Save Jake

Anyone who loves animals, especially dogs, can understand the heartbreak of learning that your furry best friend has cancer. And that's just what happened to Anna's dog, Jake.

From Anna's blog:
We (that would be Jake and I) just found out that he has mast cell cancer. Although this is a common cancer for dogs, its aggressive and can be dangerous. We have to act immediately to remove any growths and analyze the stage of cancers cells. Removing the growths are dangerous because other parts of the body can shut down as the growth is handled it releases toxins in the body. He'll have to do a couple rounds of chemo to make sure there is no remaining cancer in his body. And then we just have to hope and pray it doesn't return (which it does, 50% of the time). Without boring you with all the details - its not a fun thing to learn. And we have to do something about it immediately.

So Anna has started The Apron Campaign to help pay for Jake's vet bills. Basically, you buy an apron for $20, and Jake is one step closer to receiving the treatment he needs. Go read the full story of how Anna adopted Jake from the San Diego Humane Society, and then buy an apron if you're lead to do so.

I know that if anything like this ever happened to Molly, I would be devastated. We love our pets, so if you have it in your heart, help Anna save Jake.