Rainy Thursday

My night will consist of the following:



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I'll be making preparations for my in-laws visit this weekend. And by preparations I mean cleaning the house while watching RHONY marathon (vintage Bethenny? Yes, please!) on Bravo and possibly a nice glass of wine. I don't know if I can juggle all those tasks at once, but I will definitely be completing 2 out of 3.

What I'm Loving Weds.

RHOOC

I know I hate on them, but I love this show so much.


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Rome
I've read a few books recently about ancient Roman society. This series has definitely caught my attention and furthered my interest. The characters are dynamic and well-evolved and the plot is driven by actual events. The cast of characters includes Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Cleopatra. They're quite an interesting (and dramatic) bunch.


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Dunkin Donuts Coffee
I've recently made the switch from Starbucks and I have to say I've really been enjoying what DD's has to offer! It's a good thing I don't stop by their stores often because I would be very tempted to pick up one (or a dozen) of their signature pastries. I LOVE donuts!


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Something I'm not loving is the fact that our washer isn't working. Mark believes he has a 'solution' and will be able to 'fix' it. We will see about that. In the meantime, my laundry pile is mounting and I do NOT want to have to go to the laundromat.

I also don't want to purchase one of these...


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An Open Letter To Tamra Barney

Okay, not really. I don't have the energy for an entire letter. But I do have some thoughts on her behavior this season on RHOOC.


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Let me start by saying, we all get it. She got rid of some excess baggage (Simon) and now has a hot new boytoy. She kisses him throughout dinner with her friend, Marcos, making him and presumably all of the viewers at home very uncomfortable. And to take it to a whole other level, she then appears in 'the bathtub scene'. Wow. Just wow.  

On the most recent episode Tamra decides to divulge all of the intimate details of her and Eddie's relationship. Again, way TMI. Even Vicki seemed disturbed by her oversharing. Hello, doesn't she have four children that she worries might see this someday? Perhaps I'm judging too harshly, but she really seems to laying it ALL out there this season.

And I'm Back!

I just returned from a long weekend in Cincinnati. My visits home never seem long enough, but I always manage to pack a lot of living into my time there.

Friday started off with a meat-free lunch at Pelican's Reef with this lady:

Rough pic. Please note my sister holding a knife to my throat in the picture. She loves me so much.

Possibly the highlight of my weekend:

Cookies from the Bon Bonerie. AMAZING. Yes, they taste as good as they look. I thought I'd be generous and selected two basketball shaped cookies for Mark, in honor of March Madness.

Saturday was spent prepping for Jaime's Bachelorette festivities in KY. A great time was had by all and there will be more pictures of the weekend to come. For now though, I need to get ready for Bethenny Ever After and prepare for the work week. Blah.

 

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And Saturday morning I'll be participating in the Bridge Run. Yikes! I'll be doing my normal routine of an hour cardio mix between the elliptical and treadmill a few times this week. I'm not anticipating having any problems completing the 10K. But I don't think I'll be breaking any records, either ;)  

 

RHOM

Okay, did anyone watch last night's episode of RHOM? Apparently, next week is the season finale. Okay? The season just started. To be honest, I don't really like the show that much, but somehow find myself watching every time. Old habits die hard....

Anyways, the only interesting person in the cast is Elsa Patton. And she isn't even one of the 'housewives.'

Elsa and her daughter, Marysol, were on Watch What Happens Live and they were actually pretty entertaining! Andy Cohen really has a thing for Elsa.

A photo of Elsa "before"

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"After"

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*I put before and after in quotations because I don't know that she's had plastic surgery. But, if I were a betting woman, my money would be on yes.

Apparently, the duo has found themselves in some legal troubles lately.

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Mother-daughter DUI's = no bueno.

I have a feeling that Bravo might be scrapping this installment of Real Housewives and moving on to a more tried and true cast: New York. They really know how to bring the drama. And I'm really looking forward to it.

In A Clothing Rut

I am so thankful that the warm weather is here (hopefully to stay)! I can finally start wearing something other than my boring black pants/skirt/dress shirt combo on a daily basis. I tend to dress pretty conservatively at the office. But that doesn't mean I can't incorporate some fun pieces every now and then! My work wardrobe needs a facelift and what better time to re-evaluate some key pieces than the spring?

First, I'll give you an idea of what an everyday outfit consists of for the cooler months:

Wrap Dress

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Reva's

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And yes, I'm completely aware of how boring I am.  I might throw on a scarf or boots if I'm feeling adventurous ;)

Naturally, I already have a few go-to items for the warmer weather. They include white dress pants/skirt, brightly colored tops, and gold Reva's or my metallic Jack Rogers. I do a a lot of walking, so flats are a MUST. Here are some items that I wouldn't mind adding to my arsenal:



Milly via Saks


Milly via Saks


Lilly P via Saks


Trina Turk

Dresses are definitely my preference. The fewer choices I have to make early in the morning, the better. Throw on a cute necklace or pair of earrings and you're good to go!





 

Cincinnati Favorites

Whenever I travel back home, there are several things I have to have.

Skyline Chili

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Not to be confused with Goldstar chili (sorry, it's just not the same to me!).  My mouth is watering just looking at this picture. I can eat a three-way and at least 2 cheese coneys.

Graeter's

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Graeter's has THE BEST ice cream I've ever had in my life. Hands down. This is not just a Cincinnati thing. I believe Oprah has even featured their ice cream on her show (more than once). If you ever travel to the area, you need to seek out one of their stores. You will not be sorry. The picture above happens to be my favorite flavor, black raspberry chip. Amazing.

Goetta

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Like Skyline, this may be considered an acquired taste. According to Wikipedia, the savory treat, often called 'Cincinnati Caviar', originated in Germany and became popular when settlers emigrated to the area two centuries ago. It's a combination of ground meat and oats. Sounds disgusting, I know. But it tastes much better than it looks. The perfect compliment to scrambled eggs.

LaRosa's

 

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Hometown favorite. Although, of all the above listed items, this is the only one that hasn't impressed my generally easy to please husband. Baffles me.

Beauty Essentials

As the warmer weather creeps up on us down south, I thought I'd take the time to review my must have beauty products for the summer (and a few for year-round purposes).

Self-Tanner



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I have tried nearly every sunless tanner out there. And this is the one I always come back to. It doesn't leave your skin feeling slick or oily and has a light scent (unlike many others). If you're looking for a darker shade, apply two days in a row. A close second is the brand,  Fake Bake. This product is a gel with lots of bronzer in it, which makes you look much darker before washing it off. Word to the wise, it will come off on your clothing/sheets.

Tinted Moisturizer

Can be purchased here

With the summer comes very humid days here in Charleston. I prefer to wear tinted moisturizer rather than heavy foundation. Laura Mercier makes a great product that gives you good coverage with a slight glow and 20 SPF. Win!

Waterproof Eyeliner

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This eyeliner is no joke. It has serious staying power. Introduced to me on my wedding weekend by my gf, Ashley, I have been obsessed ever since! Her mom is a makeup aficionado, so I take her suggestions to heart.

Mascara

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Or

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I like both of these mascaras. On the high end, I've found nothing better than Diorshow- it's a classic and you can't go wrong with this. Maybeline's Volum Express is also a great mascara- it's cheap, you can find it almost anywhere and it creates, well, voluminous lashes.

Lastly,

Bronzer

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Okay, I don't actually use this, but I've heard alot of good things about it. I currently have some generic Ulta brand bronzer in my make up bag, which does the job just fine but I'm not in love with it. I'm definitely open to suggestions on a new bronzer. Bring them on! 

For Japan

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St. Patty's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Sadly, I'm not doing anything really exciting to celebrate. Actually, I went out this weekend for the holiday. So that counts, right?

I hope everyone enjoys some of this!

I have been dying for some of these:

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but I'd certainly take one of these:

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Um, it's been one week of Lent. I'm not even going to type how many more candy-less days I have left because it's just depressing.

I did receive this two days ago, which definitely lifted my spirits! I'm really excited to start using it!

  

Can be purchased here

I hope everyone has a great Friday :)

Bachelor Recap and RHOOC

I'm going to be honest. I didn't watch any of the Bachelor prior to last night. I did, however, read Reality Steve. Unfortunately, he was WRONG with his prediction (Chantal)! This causes me to lose trust in the generally reliable website. I'm sure I'll continue to read on and spoil future shows for myself anyways. Back to the finale. I wasn't super impressed by either Emily or Chantal and I can't say I'm surprised that Brad and Emily have already hit a rough patch. She was pretty sassy with him on the reunion show.

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Onto the RHOOC...

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm not really feeling any of the ladies this season. They are all quite narcissistic and self-serving. At least that's what I've gleaned from the first two episodes. Tamra acts like she's trying to make nice with Gretchen, but still gets in her snide remarks and underhanded comments. Gretchen is coming off as cavalier (my mom's word of the week). And I am over her bf, Slade.

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Vicki was getting pretty wild with her employees and I believe she was acting somewhat inappropriately with them. She confirmed on one of the after shows that her and Don are getting divorced, which makes me sad because I thought just maybe their marriage would survive. I am liking Alexis a little more than last season.  Her new friend, Peggy, was introduced and it is clear that the two of them are having a serious competition with everything: kids, husbands, botox, hair extensions, etc. 

Tamra's BF, Eddie

I'm hoping for more excitement on RHOM/Teen Mom tonight.

This week is going by quickly! I'm already looking forward to the weekend!

Scenes from the Weekend

Scenes from the weekend via my handy iphone camera

Friday started off with a nice long walk for Coop through the neighborhood.

Followed by a little siesta

And later I rewarded myself with one of these. Or two.

From my favorite place

On Saturday, we celebrated St. Patty's Day in Mt. P and then onto Sullivan's Island

Dodi & I spectating

Intense game of cornhole

Probably arguing Duke vs. North Carolina

Girls

Today has been spent relaxing outside and enjoying the beautiful weather. And yes, I have kept my Lenten resolution so far. One week down!



Coupon-ing

Happy Friday! I have to say that I am thrilled it's the weekend! And, it's supposed to be a beautiful one here in Charleston.

So, I opened my email this morning to find my daily deal from Living Social. What was it you ask? Botox. I found this very interesting. Actually, I find a lot of their deals to be totally random and this was no exception (sometimes, they have really good ones though). As soon as I saw it, immediately the RHOBH popped into my head and their lack of facial expressions. At this point in my life, I'm pretty uninterested in botox, facial fillers, etc. A few decades down the road, maybe a different story.

A cautionary tale:

Marisol's mom

I'll continue to subscribe to Groupon and Living Social in the hopes that they will at some point tempt me  with a deal I can't resist.

Along the same lines, I'm completely addicted to Gilt Groupe, Rue La La and the like. I just ordered a new pair of jeans and I can't wait for them to arrive.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Tall Glass Of Water

Being 5'10" has it's ups and downs. While I generally enjoy being tall, I have the most difficult time finding properly fitting clothing. As I'm not interested in sporting crop tops, I tend to seek out tunic-style shirts for their longer fit and loose, flowly blouses which won't hit me awkwardly. Rebecca Taylor and Tucker are the holy grail when it comes to the above mentioned genres. Alas, my budget does not allow for a wardrobe full of these beautiful items.

Tucker

Rebecca Taylor

So, I turn to more affordable options. Enter Piperlime. I'm obsessed with their website! They have everything from trendy tops, to classic denim, to affordable pumps for a night on the town. I've gotten several things from them and I have to say that they've all been of good quality and well made. Did I mention FREE shipping and 15% Off for all new customers?

Now, some of the items that I hope will be making their way into my closet very soon:

Tinley Road Ruffle Cami

At $39, you need this. With white jeans and gold sandals. YES. Moving on...

Ark & Co., $49

A great alternative to "The Blouse."

 

Trinity

A little more expensive ($75) than the previous options, but how gorgeous is this? It just says Spring.

As for denim, I remain faithful to Seven and Paige. Length is obviously a big factor when searching for the right pair of jeans, but I also like to have some stretch and a higher rise. I just bought a pair similar to these:

        Seven For All Mankind, The Skinny