Month: March 2017

Favorite Things: NARS Concealer and Skin Drink FaceTime Primer

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Hi friends! Happy Friday! We made it to another weekend! And its a gorgeous day here in Houston! Welcome to my first post called “Favorite Things”! For some time now I have wanted to start posting about some of my favorite things. I always love hearing about great products that other people like and would recommend. Don’t you? I hope to update you with my Favorite Things on a weekly basis so check in often! First up is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30). It was recommend to me by one of the associates at Sephora when I went in for my usual Stila concealer but they didn’t carry it anymore. Don’t you hate when that happens? I desperately needed concealer so I went with their recommendation that day. I’m so glad I did. I love this stuff! Even better than my Stila. It goes on so smooth with just the right amount of coverage! Why didn’t I know about this sooner! “Coveted by artists for its luxurious texture and luminous finish, new Radiant Creamy Concealer evens …

Spring & Summer Totes: An Oh So Fun Obsession!

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Hey Y’all! I love totes! And spring and summer offer the best totes in my opinion. Colors, embroidery, different materials, fun sayings, you name it! The problem is where to put them all?!? They do take up a lot of space. I need to build a special closet in my house just to accommodate all the totes I currently have and to add more to my collection 😊 I popped into my local Francesca’s to see what they had new for the Spring. They always have some cute seasonal things. I am by no means opposed to spending money on classic, long-lasting clothes and accessories, but sometimes it’s the fun, less expensive, seasonal things at at local retailer that can give your change of season wardrobe a fresh look and a little boost! What cute totes thay have for the summer!! There are so many! You definitely need to go to their website. Check out a few of them below, as well as cute totes from two of my other favorites – Anthropologie and Stella & …

De-Stress According to Your Astrological Sign

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According to Well and Good, whether you’re a feisty fire sign or an airy daydreamer, there’s a de-stressing method that fits your unique astrological profile just right. Think of this as your toolkit to regaining that feeling of Zen, regardless of how hectic things get. “Astrology has helped us determine our decorating style, bedroom paint color, travel plans, ideal engagement ring, and so much more—why stop at stress management?” Read on to see how how your astrological sign should de-stress. And, let me know in the comments section at the end if you think they got it right! I think that they hit the nail on the head with mine – Capricorn – having a plan set in place always makes me feel more at ease. Though a good massage never hurts 🙂 Aries: Work out Aries energy can burn bright and hot. When she gets overloaded, the fire can rage out of control. Her best course of action to chill out? Heat up. Raise that body temperature to match the temperature of her spirit …

Around Town: Etoile Cuisine et Bar

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Did that gorgeous bowl of mussels (moules) stop you in your tracks? You can enjoy this delectable dish and more at Etoile Cuisine et Bar! Tucked in a corner of bustling Uptown Park, Etoile is not a new restaurant in Houston, but it has held it’s own and continues to please after 5 years! It’s a sophisticated French eatery with a modern farmhouse interior boasting chandeliers, gorgeous wood accents, and a muted color palatte, and serving traditional & seasonal French fare. There is also a nice patio area to dine on when the weather permits, like the day we were there. While all the new restaurants in town are getting mentioned on blogs and websites I thought that Etoile Cuisine et Bar deserved a little “re-recognition” too 🙂 The Story… “The owners of Etoile, Chef Philippe Verpiand and Monica Bui, have created an inviting, warm European environment where fine French food is front and center. “We want to dispel the notion that French food is heavy and pretentious,” says the team, recently transplanted to Houston from San Diego, where they …

What’s Happening in Houston This Weekend: Bayou City Art Festival

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It’s that time of year again! Time for the 46th Annual Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park. And, it looks like it is going to be a fabulous weekend for strolling through Memorial Park enjoying great art, music, food, and fun at one of the nation’s top 10 outdoor fine arts festivals! Friday, March 24 to Sunday, March 26 Established in 1972, the Bayou City Art Festival happens twice a year. The spring and the fall. The festival is located in Memorial Park in the spring and downtown Houston in the fall. The Bayou City Art Festival showcases hundreds of artists and their work. Everything from photography (traditional & digital), metal works, sculptures, leather goods, jewelry, paintings, and much more. There’s definitely something for everyone and all different tastes! A portion of the festival’s proceeds will go to support the work of six Houston area nonprofit partners, who will also have representatives on site at the event. A Cause to Give us Paws Escape Family Resource Center Fresh Arts  Lawndale Art Center Museum of …

The 5 Design Trends That Will Dominate This Summer

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Is it heating up where you are? It is here in Houston, Texas. Truth be told, we really didn’t have much of a winter. Not even much of a Texas style winter! We had a couple of cold snaps, but they only lasted a few days at a time. Just long enough to kill the plants outside 😦 In any case, Spring has sprung already and I’m thinking about small things I can do around my house to spruce it up. One of the easiest ways to do this is simply with home decor items and accessories. Out with the old, in with the new! Doesn’t have to be a major overhaul or even a major expense! I ran across an article on My Domaine called “West Elm Has Spoken: These 5 Trends Will Blow Up This Summer.” I love West Elm’s clean, modern style and infusion of textural elements as well as their reasonable price points that you can blend with the other “more expensive” things in your home, so I thought I’d give …

Around Town: Macaron by Patisse and Bite Macarons

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Attention macaron lovers: It’s National Macaron Day! Pierre Hermé declared the first “Jour du Macaron” in 2005, to bring the French delicacy into the international spotlight and raise money for his charity. It has since become an international phenomenon. If you are a macaron aficionado feel free to skip this part 😊 If you are not a macaron aficionado then read this: A macaron is a sweet meringue-based confection made with egg white, icing sugar, granulated sugar, almond powder or ground almond, and food colouring. The macaron commonly consists of a ganache, buttercream or jam filling sandwiched between two cookies. The name is derived from the Italian word macarone, maccarone or maccherone, the meringue. The related macaroon is often confused with the macaron. In English, most bakers have adopted the French spelling of macaron for the meringue-based item, to distinguish the two. This has caused confusion over the correct spelling. Some recipes exclude the use of macaroon to refer to this French confection while others treat the two as synonymous. The two food items are different, …

8 Home Habits That Mean You Are More Intelligent!

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I was browsing the Internet earlier today and ran across this post from My Domaine. The title really intrigued me. Might I have any of the “home habits” that mean that I am more intelligent than some of my friends 🙂 Do you? Oh, and by the way, It’s National Ditch Your Resolutions Day today. Appropriate that this article would come out today. Obviously, not by chance…. Here’s the post from My Domaine:  “It’s easy to feel guilty about our bad habits, especially at the start of a new year when overachievers commit to waking up even earlier, working out even more, and being even more organized—leaving the rest of us feeling like lazy slobs. But what if our biggest flaws at home were actually a sign of higher intelligence? According to a variety of studies, our wishful thinking may be true. Finally, you have a witty response to the question, Why is your stuff lying around everywhere again? Or, Can you please stop playing video games? The answer may be as simple as, It …

Himalayan Salt Lamps: Beneficial or Not?

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I’ve often seen Himalayan Salt Lamps in spas and I have always thought they were pretty. But, I really wasn’t sure what they were for… They certainly are nice to look at and emit such a warm, soothing glow. Then I discovered that they actually do serve a purpose beyond looks. They are actually supposed to be good for your health! And, while I am by no means do everything right 🙂 I am always on the look out for things I can do to improve my health and environment! So, for a while I have been meaning to buy a salt lamp, but just hadn’t gotten around to it yet. Much to my surprise my friend Courtney gifted me with one for my birthday in December! Had she been reading my mind?!? Are there any health benefits to having a Himalayan Salt Lamp in your home?  Many people believe so, but of course there are always naysayers. First, a little info on how the Himalayan Salt Lamps works: Water vapor is always circulating in …

Around Town: The New Grotto Ristorante in Downtown Houston is a Must!

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If you’ve lived in Houston for any length of time you’ve probably dined at the Grotto’s located at Loop 610 and Westheimer. It’s kind of a Houston landmark! Well now there is a new Grotto in town located downtown on Avenida Las Americas and she’s a beauty! This past Friday my friend Holly and I decided to go take in some of the sights downtown as our great city is in preparations for hosting Super Bowl LI this coming weekend. Hungry, as usual, and so many great times with friends are spent over food and a great glass of wine, we decided to pop into the new Grotto. I was impressed from the minute we walked in. It is a gorgeous, industrial, but warm atmosphere. Taupe-y grey stone floors mingling with graphic black and white tiles. Light woods. Dark woods. White subway tile. Taupe-y grey brick. Steel grey metals. Stainless steel. Exposed pipes. Edison light bulbs. Large black framed picture windows and pops of green from succulents. There is also an expansive outdoor patio, which features sleek fire pits, TVs, and a front …