Highlights

Posted in Life by C.

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{Instagrammed shot of the Hollywood Sign.}

The first few days of summer were full of sunshine and birds chirping here in LA – a picturesque manner in which you’d expect. Then June gloom took over for a few days (boo) …just before a heat wave that will continue well into the weekend. I’m always surprised by much the weather affects me. I know some welcome the cloudy gray skies, but this type of weather makes me want to stay indoors and watch movies all day. It produces such a lethargic energy in me that lets me know I’d probably die of depression if I lived anywhere else, and certainly limits my options during those times when I fantasize about moving to another city for a while. I’m sure I’ll start complaining shortly about how hot it is, but I’m enjoying the clear blue skies and sunshine in the meantime.

A huge highlight for me since last catching up with you, was that I finally crossed something off my bucket list that’s been there for quite awhile. On a gorgeous Saturday morning I got up early and tackled the Hollyridge Trail – the famous hiking site in the Griffith Park area for up close and personal views of the beloved Hollywood Sign. Full post to come on that amazing experience next week.

I can’t say I’m happy at how fast time seems to be going, but I am happy to bid June gloom goodbye once and for all. This was a roller coaster month for me, in retrospect. Full of good days and bad, but I’m very much looking forward to welcoming July. My summer plans are all set. The 4th is just around the corner and I’m still that girl who totally digs fireworks.

This weekend I’d like to make it a point to get out and enjoy the sunshine with perhaps a book on the beach or under a shady tree at a park. Then once I’ve had enough of nature, enjoying the air-conditioning when we go see Pedro Almodóvor’s new film, I’m So Excited.

Have a great weekend. xx

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{Enjoying Lake Balboa Park on the first day of summer.}

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{In love with my new sunnies from Free People.}

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{Taking a moment to sit in the sunshine – I don’t think there’s anything quite as spectacular as light on water.}

{Experimenting with a quick video clip which I wasn’t going to include – but thought was pretty funny because it’s so bad. I couldn’t keep a straight face and my allergies were killing me that day.

Yes, I did go to film school and should be ashamed of myself. Yes, these will be improved. Yes, that Rice Krispies Treat was yummy!}

27Jun2013

Birchbox Review: June

Posted in Beauty by C.

Birchbox June Products Individual

A few weeks ago, Birchbox users got an email cheerfully announcing some branding changes that included a new website design and logo.

Personally, I’m all for wanting to change things up, to keep things relevant and fresh; but I was seemingly in the majority of people who were less than thrilled with the re-design. Birchbox’s aim to present a more “sophisticated” branding lost much of the playful femininity that made Birchbox fun.

I suspect part of the now more gender neutral approach in branding is to appeal to the masculine and gain more subscriptions for Birchbox Men. I’m sure they’re paying all the right market researchers and top advertising companies to help streamline this new way of presenting their brand, and while they should trust these agencies over a humble gal from LA with an opinion; somehow in the long run I just don’t think many men will buy into the brand and it’s core goals the way women ultimately do. Perhaps there’s more to come that might change my mind or prove me dead wrong, but typically men don’t buy into the beauty business the way us ladies do.

Here’s how June’s samples shaped up…

{1.} Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo – I was surprised by how much I liked this shampoo (and later the conditioner and hair oil). It has a wonderful scent and my hair instantly felt moisturized and soft as I worked the product into my wet hair. This shampoo’s claim to fame is that it helps tame frizziness. I can’t tell if it’s because of the shampoo or the fact that I caved and bought a CHI flat-iron recently (or both combined) – but it’s been a good hair week and I can’t complain. I’m not saying I was convinced enough to purchase this expensive shampoo, but I am saying I didn’t hate it.

{2.} LAQA & Co. Fat Lip Pencil – In theory, I like what LAQA & Co is doing with this lip pencil. The color is long-lasting and vibrant and you won’t ever have to bother with a pencil sharpener. These are all pluses in my book. However, I found that the color I was given was extremely bright and went on as a matte finish. I’ve been experimenting with a bright pink lip lately thanks to this sample, and found that the best way to get any use out of this product was to use it lightly and blot like hell. It works well when I mix it with a new lip butter I bought from Revlon so I can play with the texture and the adjust the color more to my liking, but at $16 and the extra work I have to do to tailor it to my skin tone – this is a pass.

{3.} Color Club Wanderlust Collection in London Calling – This is part of what makes Birchbox fun! I likely wouldn’t have ever gambled with a lime/mint green-esque nail polish. It’s a welcomed change of pace.

{4.} Suki Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser – I think this is, by far, my favorite product EVER in all of my now 5 Birchbox experiences! I am in LOVE with Suki’s Exfoliate Foaming Cleanser. This delicious lemon fragrant scrub comes out of the jar with the consistency of a serious sugar scrub, but once mixed with water turns into a gentle foaming cleanser. When researching more about this product, I was ecstatic to learn that it’s also filled with organic ingredients, it’s synthetic free, and alpha hydroxy acids within the raw sugar are what make this product a must-have powerhouse. Caution: this should only be used once a day max. I typically use it in the morning to take in the wonderful scent (read: to wake my ass up) and prep my freshly exfoliated skin for an even smoother makeup application.

{5.} Davines Love Smoothing Conditioner – At the risk of sounding redundant, this conditioner is a wonderful compliment to the shampoo. It gave my hair moisture and softness. Enough said.

{6.} Davines OI/OIL Absolute Beautifying Potion – Davines lightweight and fantastically scented hair oil was great during those times when my hair needed a quick burst of moisture. An added benefit was a nice sheen that instantly took my tresses from dull to glam. As with the rest of the Davines’ line, it’s expensive and this deters me from buying full-sized products at this time. I’d be curious to see if my good hair week was in fact attributed to Davines’ line. I’m going back to my tried and true Aussie brand products with my new CHI to find out.

Happy Primping!

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26Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Fashion, Food, Television by C.

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For the past week or so, I’ve spent nearly every night that I’ve been home addicted to what I think might be one of the greatest comedies on TV since Sex and the City! Of course, I’m just now realizing this… and it’s been off the air for 6 months… after 7 successful seasons.

What was a simple night at home perusing Netflix looking for something to keep me entertained, but wouldn’t require a 2 hour feature film length commitment, lead me to 30 Rock (which Netflix kindly noted under my recommendations so I thought I would take their advice).

Interestingly, a similar pattern for this new addiction is exactly how I got into SATC. The series had been off the air for 10 months and after hearing about it incessantly, I spent one Christmas vacation in college watching the entire series in 2 weeks. Ah, memories. For my 26th birthday, I bought the complete series on DVD as a gift to myself and it was worth every single penny. To this day, I can watch an episode if I’ve had a bad day and find it as refreshing and funny as ever. I still have a secret dream of moving to New York City; developing a Manolo Blahnik fetish; meeting my version of Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda at our favorite place for brunch every weekend; while living in my fabulous rent-controlled apartment; with a great writing job.

I often find when watching “sitcoms” in recent years – that I’m either disappointed or I don’t invest in them the way that I would a good juicy one-hour drama. Then again, over the last 2 years or so I’ve stopped following any type of television programming religiously. If I met myself today, my 17-year-old self would be very disappointed – that’s how much I used to abide by a strict television schedule. People knew not to bother me on Wednesday nights from 8:00pm on. That night was for me, Kelly, Brandon, Brenda, Dylan, Donna and the rest of the 90210 gang ONLY (even though I was a baby at the time and my mom probably should have been monitoring my TV choices more closely.)

So while I’m only 30 episodes out of 138 from catching up on all the 30 Rock awesomeness, I can’t think of anything that I’m lovin’ more right now. Then again…

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| “Pup in a Cup” gives me a big smile every time I look at it. Adorbz!||

||10 Summer Snacks Under 200 Calories // Watermelon salad pictured.||

||Light denim chambray + denim cut offs = perfect for summer.||

||Sweetapolita’s Rich & Ruffled Chocolate Celebration Cake //full recipe here.||

||Black french tip manicures.||

|| Lifed.com’s Bucket List: 225 Things to do Before you Die // Warning: some of these are “out there” but I’m all for #13!||

||Gaby Dalkin’s Absolutely Avocados Cookbook features 80 recipes using avocados //

This Cajun Shrimp Guacamole looks delish.||

*click photos for image sources.

24Jun2013

How I Plan to Spend My Summer Vacation

Posted in Life by C.

They say youth is wasted on the young. I might also add so are summer vacations. Three months of complete carefree freedom – no bills, no big worries other than your new first day of school outfit, and plenty of opportunities to sleep during a time when 3 months seemed like a really long time. I find that as I get older, I hear myself saying “rent is due again!” more and more frequently.

Year after year of the famed summer vacation as a kid through my college years was always welcomed, though became more and more complicated as I got older (insert summer job/responsibility here), but likely nothing compared to what a summer vacation would look like today as an adult if I had 3 entire months to do whatever, whenever I wanted.

What once was an endless day doing arts and crafts at the Boys & Girls Club when I was 10, ironically would be similar, but on a yacht in the middle of the Mediterranean. I’d still read books, veg in front of the TV for hours while eating incessantly (not gaining a pound, of course) with the caveat being that I would be in the middle of a 3 month tour of Europe, and this was just how I would choose to unwind after a day exploring the city.

While I’m grateful for being steadily employed, I won’t let a little thing like a full-time job prevent me from having the summer of my life. While I won’t be in the middle of the Mediterranean making art collages, nor will I be stuffing my face with pasta all day while watching re-runs of Friends dubbed in Italian during my European adventure, I do have big plans to enjoy the California sunshine, explore the time of year that LA really comes alive, and make collages all summer long…for my blog. In fact, here’s one now…

How I Plan to Spend My Summer Vacation

How I plan to spend summer

Picnics. Outdoor movies/Cinespia. On the beach. Under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl. Hiking. Reading. At the movies. Yoga. Farmers’ markets. Eating cupcakes. Museums. Blogging. Milkshakes. Bookstores. Fruity inspired everything. LA County Fair. Drive-ins. My favorite grilled cheese joint. Iced lattes, lattes, lattes! A weekend getaway with my guy, place: TBD. The beach again.

…And exploring my beloved LA as much as I can.

Happy Summer!

🙂

21Jun2013

Highlights

Posted in Film, Life by C.

This final week of Spring was going along nicely…until yesterday. I overheard a conversation that I took very personally. It was disappointing and I felt insulted, so much so, that it ultimately infuriated me. You know, that type of anger that makes you just want to vent to the nearest person because just getting it out would somehow make you feel better? Since I didn’t have that nearby, I started to type this post in the heat of that emotional state and then decided to stop and come back to it later. Suffice to say that this post would’ve sounded very different if I’d written it 5 hours earlier. There really is something to just feeling what your feeling, taking a few deep breaths, and knowing that this too shall pass. What other people do is more of a reflection on them. And your reaction to them is more of a reflection on you.

Interestingly, I had come across Oprah’s recent commencement speech for the graduating class of 2013 from Harvard and watched the entire thing just after said “infuriating” incident. There is still something so relatable and calming about her that instantly got me to take a step back and put things into perspective. When hearing about her failures and speaking to those who have ever also felt inferior – it made me realize that no matter who you are, there are times that people and life disappoint you. Despite her public struggles with launching her network, she just kept going and is now on the way to victory.

Admittedly, I am still upset as I write this (but as I proof it several more hours later, I’m fine and think that perhaps I might have overreacted since I can’t say I was sure I had all of the details of what I was overhearing – go figure :)). Either way, I realize that this one incident shouldn’t nor will it define my week. I had lots of highlights that I want to think about as I close out Spring with much appreciation so that’s what I’m going to do. Even better? By the end of that day something I’ve waited for my entire career is seemingly taking huge steps to come into fruition. Go figure.

Here are this week’s highlights – happy summer!

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{Enjoying great films and lively Q&A’s at The LA Film Festival.}

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{Sugary goodies and checking out my now favorite documentary of the year so far, 20 Feet From Stardom.}

{Oprah’s 2013 Harvard Commencement Speech. A must watch.}

20Jun2013

Results: The Spring Project

Posted in Cocktails, Explore, Fitness, Food, Fun, Life by C.

The last day of spring has arrived and I cannot believe how quickly the time passed us by. In retrospect, Spring was kind to me. Afternoons perusing museums, feeling the lightness after a good spring cleaning, celebrating a milestone birthday, and enjoying a final cup of tea at my favorite spot were just a few of the highlights. I’m pretty happy to be leaving the “June gloom” behind and head toward pure summer sunshine. As I look back over my goals to celebrate the freshness of spring, which I cheesily dubbed The Spring Project – I see areas where I excelled and others, well, let’s just say there was room for improvement.

Results: The Spring Project

closet purge

Goal: Out with the Old, in with New

Result: Pass

Spring cleaning went off without a hitch. My entire apartment got the complete scrub down (and that was a looooong day). I went through my DVD collection and traded in those purchases that at the time sounded good, but I knew I’d never watch again. And my wardrobe got a great sift through and my closets and drawers are now roomy and ready for all the great new purchases to come.

an instagrammed memorable day – manhattan beach, ca

Goal: Be Outdoors

Result: Semi-Fail

This is an admitted semi-fail. I did hit gorgeous Balboa Lake, Manhattan Beach, and strolled many a boulevards on a Saturday afternoon (Rodeo counts even though I was eating ice cream at the time), but I didn’t take one hike the entire season. No bueno. 😦

my first spring bouquet

Goal: Flower Friendly

Result: Pass

I’m happy to report that bright flowers were around me much of the season. I’m a huge believer (if you have the extra funds) to keep fresh flowers around your home when you can. Trader Joe’s is an excellent source to get this scented fix on the cheap. This tradition will continue well into summer!

off to yoga

Goal: Fitness

Result: Fail

The long and short of it: I’m still really consistent with my yoga practice (and being mindful of my diet) but I’ve been terrible at making time to hit the gym to work on a more solid cardio and weightlifting routine. Something to work on this summer…I know, I know.

Goal: Fruit Inspired Recipes

Result: Fail

Yes, I’ve been eating a lot of fruit. No, I didn’t personally make any of these recipes. Total FAIL.

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1. Spring Fruit Pizza

2. Fruit Pizza

3. Strawberry Basil Moscato Lemonade

4. Peanut butter, Strawberries, Bananas and Granola Wrap

5. Sparkling White Peach Sangria

19Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Accessories, Beauty, Food, Home Decor, Inspiration, Travel by C.

With the official start to summer only 2 short days away, I’ve been excited at all the fun to come. I can’t say that I have an absolute favorite time of year, because I’m usually ready for the change in season at the exact time the new season joins us (and this can’t ring more true right now). While fall and winter both have their unique traits and celebrations, I’m NOT a fan of being cold. At all. So if I had to pick, there’s something about summer that makes me happiest. Perhaps it’s because I’m a California girl through and through. I love sunshine, warm weather (if we can keep it around circa 80-85 degrees), the beach, long days, 4th of July, outdoor movies, the Hollywood Bowl, sundresses, sunnies, sandals, fruity cocktails and iced lattes. So the plan this particular summer season would be to channel as much of what you see in the picture above for the next 3 months.

love & light,

Candice

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| Kate Spade’s Alyx sunglasses featured on Keiko Lynn’s blog last week. WANT. ||

|| These 14k Gold Peach Wire Wrapped Earrings from Diamblond’s Etsy Shop. ||

|| Homemade Frozen Strawberry Lemonade // Recipe here. ||

|| Ryan Gosling’s very wise and very true words. || 7b04ce5c55ab76db9a3211a4637a4614

|| Vintage inspired door knobs as curtain tie-backs // Details here. ||

|| Revlon’s Plum Seduction Nail Polish (currently on my toes and perfect for summer!). ||

|| What’s inspiring me to want to drop everything and take a summer adventure.||

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|| Mushroom, Asparagus + Prosciutto Pizza with Balsamic Glaze // Recipe here. ||

*click photos for image sources.

18Jun2013

Sprinkles Ice Cream

Posted in Explore, Treats by C.

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Where: Sprinkles Ice Cream

Location: 9631 South Santa Monica Boulevard, Beverly Hills

It’s the battle of the ice cream gods and I, for one, love some healthy competition! Not too long ago, I made the small trek over to the 90210 to check out the Ice Cream Lab, the newest addition to the South Santa Monica Boulevard family. This futuristic inspired ice cream parlor had the ~~balls~~ courage to open its doors down the street from the famed Sprinkles Cupcakes empire, that also opened a counterpart ice cream shop next door last spring. What better excuse to add a little ice cream to my beloved Sprinkles cupcake this time around to compare and contrast who does it best when it comes to a proper brain freeze? (The things I do in the name of blogging!)

Hands down, Sprinkles Ice Cream blows the Ice Cream Lab out of the water!

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While the Ice Cream Lab relies on the unique power to instantly create your frozen treat using liquid nitrogen machines right in front of you; ultimately, it’s the limitations in their menu that weaken their panache for me. Sprinkles does what I think always works best: keep it simple, and keep it customizable. Not only do you have a large selection of ice cream flavors to choose from, your frosty delicacy is served in a myriad of ways: in a red velvet waffle cone, as a sundae, between cupcake tops or cookies for a sandwich, or just keep it basic and in a cup with toppings galore. Bonus points in my book for the option to also create a milkshake, malt, or even a float if the mood strikes you. The fun with Sprinkles Ice Cream is that the options are endless.

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On this particular Saturday afternoon visit, I stopped into the two-tone red and white parlor and indulged in a Sprinkles sundae (first pictured above for your viewing pleasure). It’s a scoop of ice cream with one cupcake of your choice. I had to go with their famous red velvet cupcake and the vanilla bean ice cream. The taste and texture of the slow churned ice cream with the moist fluffy cake covered with thick frosting was pure heaven (and yes, I was on a sugar high for the next three hours).

Admittedly, it’s a pricey treat, but one that I am a-okay to give in to occasionally. It’s no secret that I am a fan of Sprinkles cupcakes and when paired together with their fresh gourmet ice cream…there are no words. Summer is in 3 days gang – and I plan to spend a few of them with a quick stop here ~~after hitting the gym twice a day, of course!~~ (yeah right). Hope to see you there! xx

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14Jun2013

Sharing the Love

Posted in Blogs by C.

I have been so touched by many of your positive comments on my post last week where I essentially got real about the rewards and challenges of this awesome thing we call blogging. It was encouraging to hear that it was a source of inspiration for many of you.

As promised, I’ve decided to forego my usual “Highlights” post on this happy Friday to dedicate some space to pure link love. Interestingly (and most appropriately), if I were to write a Highlights post today, it would look much like what you’re reading right now anyway. I spent most of my free time this week networking with other bloggers and checking out all of your submitted sites to be included in today’s post.

One thing I was extremely excited about was live chatting with other lifestyle bloggers on Twitter last Sunday morning, where people from all over the world came together to unite over their passion, bounce their ideas around, and meet other blogger nerds. If you ever feel like joining us, the Lbloggers (lifestyle bloggers) Chat is every Sunday 11:00am-12:00pm Pacific Standard Time. Be sure to use hashtag: #lbloggers.

Thanks for stopping by, commenting, and sharing your links with me. Everyone who wanted to be featured in today’s post is noted below in the order they came in.

My hope is that you’ll all check each other out and continue to spread the love.

Please keep in touch and have a magical weekend! xx

K Clueless| kclueless.com

Cake & Couture| cakeandcouture.com

Walk of Fashion| walkoffashion.com

Clark Gent| clarkgent.com

Cara’s Cliché| carascliche.com

Lipsticks and Lashes| lipsticksandlashes.blogspot.co.uk

Tape Parade| tapeparade.wordpress.com

Becca’s Fashion and Life| beccasfashionandlife.co.uk

Happy Dancing Alone| happydancingalone.com

Mr. Joiee| mrjoiee.com

While these peeps didn’t leave links necessarily, I still wanted to give a shout out to Tonya over at Budget and the Beach and Drew at MAiJiNTHEARTIST for always being super supportive of All That Glitters! 🙂

12Jun2013

|| What I’m Lovin’ Right Now ||

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, Food, Home Decor, Inspiration, Life by C.

Blend

This quote from Lao Tzu speaks to me because I am the first person to admit that I have a hard time being present. The good news is that I’m very aware of this complication in my personality, the bad news is that I still struggle with it…often. My mind frequently wanders throughout the day to the next thing. It’s always about what I have to do next, where I have to go next, and when I have to get it done by. The trouble is, this usually happens while I’m dead in the middle of doing something that should already require my full attention.

Essentially, I’m almost always in a state of forward thinking, forward planning; forgetting to just stop, breathe and just enjoy what is. The important part to note is that during all this forward thinking, day-dreaming, and yes, even backwards reflection (but that’s another post for another time) – is I’ve somehow trained myself not only to not be 100% in the moment a large chunk of the time, but that I can somehow continue this train of thought AND get whatever needs my immediate attention in the present done in a manner that still suits my perfectionism. I call this unique ability “multitasking.” You might call it, crazy.

Needless to say, I realize there are times that I am missing out on the simple joys in life because my thoughts are elsewhere. Don’t get me wrong, I’m much better at this than I used to be. Yoga has been a great outlet for me (but I admit that have been known to mentally make my Trader Joe’s grocery list while in downward dog). Getting older (and ideally wiser) has helped. Blogging is one of things that forces me to be present (though you’d still be amazed at what I can do at the same time I’m writing). And I think I’ve picked up some of my boyfriend’s completely relaxed energy (where he annoyingly has absolutely no problem being totally and completely present almost all of the time – while I’m still festering over something that happened 2 days ago :)).

So this little gem of a quote I stumbled across this week was a concept that instantly hit home for me and I’m sure many of you. We live in a time where GO, GO, GO – DO, DO, DO – BE, BE, BE inundates us from the time we wake up forcing us to always be thinking ahead – because if you don’t, you’re not in the game, right? I’m not so sure about this anymore.

As with everything in life, there is a journey. Perhaps mastering this is part of mine.

What’s yours?

I hope you’re lovin’ this quote as much as I am and it gets you to think about your own journey… and making sure you’re present enough to enjoy every single step.

love & light,

Candice

here’s what i’m lovin’ right now

|| Tbags Los Angeles’s Layers Mini Dress from Shopbop.||