candy + apple

recently i have really been loving florence welch of florence and the machine. i have to admit, i really love that red hair of hers but am pretty into her dog days song, which you can see her glowing red locks singing it HERE.

florence is one of those people who are always on trend, so effortlessly and naturally. i wish i could go red and even though i love experimenting with my hair, i just don't think i have the coloring to pull it off. red is definitely one of the most popular fall hair trends. i think this a color that comes out every fall and it's here to stay.

this year though, the brighter - the better. usually warm coppers, rich reds, and deep chestnuts are the name of the game. but this fall is all about bright, bold, candy apple reds. since red is not necessarily a new trend, i think that is why we are punching up the color (a few) notches. i love the brightness and intensity that red brings to a face. it’s fun, flirty, and oh so spicy.

gobble + gobble

i know i'm going to be busy gobbling on a butterball all day tomorrow, so i'm doing an ode to thanksgiving today. i'm spending the long holiday weekend at The Della Ripa's ranch in San Diego. excited to get out of the city, relax, eat good food, and breathe the country air :)

so much to be thankful for this year.

i'm going to leave you with this picture of my friend, Brad Broman, from when he was a little tike. i mean, how funny?!

brits + music

happy tuesday. monday is over. and wednesday ends our week.

today i’m dedicating my post to music – especially live music – specifically, three british beauties.

those artists who can make your heart hurt. move your soul. and inspire your world.

i remember being little, driving in the car with my dad and listening to Patti Smith and thinking “what am i not getting here? this is absolute torture” that’s the funny thing about music (or anything artistic really), not everyone feels what you do. luckily there are hundreds of artists out there for everyone.

here’s my top three (well, for today anyway). enjoy.

JESSIE J

ADELE

KATE NASH

makeup + be gone

this is one of the most brilliant "products" i have ever used. when i think of a "beauty product" - i think of something coming in a bottle, jar, spritzer, pump, but not a cloth. i'm talking about Jane Iredale's Magic Mitt. this essentially looks just like a washcloth (which it is) but it completely removes makeup (even mascara). WITHOUT USING ANY PRODUCTS or CLEANSER! what?! i mean, that really is magic. all you do is wet the cloth with water and wipe away. The mitt is made out of tiny knitted micro-fibers which breaks the surface tension of your makeup from the skin. and poof! you've got a clean face. to clean the mitt, just wash with soap and hang to dry. instructions say to never put in the washing machine and that it's sterile when dry.

i've used the magic mitt for about 9 months now and it does work pretty amazingly well. i sometimes really pack on the makeup, so my opinion is about as good as any. i'd have to say that it worked better when i first got it - it seems to be wearing down a bit. i think most people (from what i've read on reviews) pitch it and get a new one more often. i probably will soon but right now i just use it with a little face cleanser and it still acts as a nice exfoliant.

what i like most about this mitt, is that you don't need to add an extra product into your routine. especially if you're trying to limit the harsh products you use or want to eliminate anything that might be irritating your skin. which, i think makes it good for people with acne prone or sensitive skin.

sleepy + owl

my late night buddy, Victoria, sent me an article(check it out here)the other day that i found to be interesting. it basically claims that research has shown that people who have higher IQ’s are night owls (1 point for me). yettt, they also are dying quicker (negative 1 point for me). ever since i was a real little kid, i never wanted to go to bed…not because i was particularly disobedient, just because i knew i wouldn’t be able to fall asleep if i did. if i go to bed before say like, 4am – i feel like i’m missing out on something. it’s very strange. but, it is when all my ideas and creative juices (such a gross term) start to flow. as much as i crave late nights, i really do feel better if i get a good nights sleep. and as the years pass, i realize the importance of “beauty sleep”.

what i find more interesting is this article though. i go to bed late but i also wake up late - try to get 7ish hrs of sleep. but apparently the # of hrs doesn't matter nearly as much as what time of night you go to bed. studies show that btwn 10pm - 2am is when our body's physical repair takes place and that btwn 2am - 6am is when our psychological repair happens. (i guess that explains why i'm not a total looney bin, but am always pretty achy). apparently, our body's hormone, cortisol has an internal time clock of it's own, no matter how we try to change it.

so, tonight, i'm going to try to hit the sack at a reasonable hour - sunday night seems to a good night to start a new regime. i can't promise 10pm but no more 4am's either.

are you a night owl or an early bird?

argan + oil

okay, so i have a total brand crush on Josie Maran Cosmetics. i have been looking for a natural, organic, eco-friendly cosmetic line that actually performs since before i even started wearing makeup. this brand is known for it's "miracle" ingredient, say it with me - *ARGAN OIL*. know it, use it, love it. perfect for dry skin due to it's super moisturizing properties and perfect for oily skin due to it balancing oil production. bottom line - it's perfect. definitely worth giving it a try. (you can find a sample size @ sephora for $14). besides skin, you can use argan oil on your nails, hair, blemishes, cracked heels, scaly elbows, really anywhere you need a little lovin'. i'm sure i'll be posting more on my favorite josie products - so, for now i'll devote this post to my perfect little bottle of argan oil.

brussel + sprouts

until about two weeks ago, just the sound of the word *brussel sprout* made me want to vom a little in my mouth. and i'm sorry, but i'm going to have to blame this one on good ol' mom&dad. i remember them being boiled when i was little, smelling like rubbish, and tasting bitter. but a few weeks ago, my bestie from NYC was visiting and insisted on making the dreaded brussel sprouts for dinner. UM, YUM.

super easy peasy recipe:

1 bag of fresh brussel sprouts - cut in half

2ish tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 cup of chopped onion

3 cloves of minced garlic (or about 8 cloves for my taste)

heavy pinch of sea salt

heavy pinch of coarse grated black peppercorns

sauté all ingredients until the brusselies are tender and have slightly caramelized. you can add a teeny bit of water and cover so those babies steam and soften up super quick. enjoy! 

practice making them this weekend so you have a new, healthy, tasty dish to make for thanksgiving this year :)

friday + mornings

if you know me at all, you know i am a night owl. i've never been a fan of mornings and i've come to terms with not trying to have "adult" hours. friday mornings though, they're different. one of my favorite things about living in downtown los angeles is the freedom of walking everywhere. especially when my destination is to a farmers market - specifically the big d-town friday f.m. boyyy, do i love me some farmers markets! besides the wonderful produce, sometimes i stumble upon other little gems. and gems are just what i found.

Mali Sabatasso is truly a jewelry genius. i just love her natural take on designing. i stood at her booth examining each piece - all so unique and one of a kind. her inspirations come from the earth, sky, and sea - all simply stunning. you can find her hand crafted pieces all over the states, including fred segals and bergdorfs. and if you are lucky enough to see her at your local farmers market, you can find her gems at a super discounted price :)

mac + polish

doesn't every girl have that go to red nail polish? well mine is MAC's kid orange. okay, so i know the name is "orange" but it's red. unless i'm colorblind. hmm. anyway - it's perfect (in my eyes). kid orange really gives those pedis a pop and looks perfectly polished on short filed fingers.

i've never been a huge lover of red nails but something about kid orange really does it for me. what doesn't do it for me - it was a limited edition. even worse, my bottle is almost out. i know there are some websites that sell discontinued products but it might be time to step out of my comfort zone and find a new fave. any suggestions?

dear diary...

it's rather late, so i'm not sure how good this first posting will be. after all, first impressions are everything right? ;) but, i'm sure there will be many late night postings to come, so i might as well give this a go. i am super excited to be starting this blog and even more excited that i'm starting it before the new year approaches because i feel like this will have more of a chance of surviving if it isn't one of my "new year resolutions". this blog will consist of all sorts of lifestyle blurbs - from beauty, health, fashion, and photos to foamy lattes, sidewalk drawings, and farmers markets. really anything that strikes me as beautiful, interesting, or silly...hope you enjoy following me!