OK, so... home style:
*crickets*... I haven't lived in a place I was completely responsible for since 2012, so I haven't really given a lot of thought about "living space" until recently. Cue long-time gal pal and chic chica (too much?) Lizzy Llarena to the rescue.
Several months ago, Lizzy launched this SICK line of goods from Mexico, inspired by her aunt's (hence Mi Tia, for those of you who don't know Spanglish like I do) frequent visits to Mexico. The textiles her aunt brought back were/are incredible, not to mention they are insanely well made and the stitching/ embroidery is gorgeous.
If home decor were left to me, I'd probably still have my Monet posters from college still hanging up on my walls (because my parents bought them for me every time they dragged me across this godforsaken state whenever there was an Impressionist exhibit). Thankfully, I have amazing friends with great style who have saved me from bare walls and boring furniture.
They're based out of Austin, but they ship all of their goods. Speaking of which, when you get yours, it comes in the most precious packaging; your threads are wrapped in colored tissue paper with a sweet tin ornament attached to them...and a thank you note. Love it.
I love things that are arbitrarily classified (in the card catalog that is my brain) as "unique treasures", and this whole line falls under that category. Mi Tia sells clothing (I bought an adorable shirt from them), both adult and kids, as well as these sick pillows/pillowcases:
These are the ones that I bought and I'll probably keep buying them...because 1.) I grew up in south Texas, so these are the colors I grew up loving/ combining all of the time, and 2.) I gotta support my people. Deh.
They do have an Instagram + a Facebook page + a webpage which I shall link down below. I feel like... if you get as overwhelmed as I do when I check out look books/ catalogs... or worse, Pinterest, these are a good place to start. Pinterest is really obsessed with "white everything" these days and artisan aesthetics, but most of the time they aren't affordable options (unless you want to spend $120.00 a pillow at Anthropologie). Also, call me crazy (or a hipster), but there is something super special about handcrafted/fair trade materials that makes me want to buy the whole store.
Who am I kidding? For the gorgeous consumer experience from start to finish and the bold colors and beautiful craftsmanship, I would probably pay Anthro prices for these... but luckily I don't have to... and neither do you. :)
*Also, Lizzy was a marketing major, so... that website is fire. Check it.
https://mitiagoods.com/
OMG OMG OMG.
FX presents Feud: Bette and Joan:
I have this crazy obsession with the old Hollywood feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Tonight is the premiere and I am all kinds of hype about it.
Background:
One day in high school (while I was pretending to be sick), I stayed home and binged on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). Right as I changed the channel, an old movie was starting with Bette Davis, so I figured I would keep watching.
"Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" is one of the creepiest psychological thrillers I have ever seen. It's eerie and extremely reflective of how much these women HATED each other in real life. Constantly competing for roles in Hollywood, these two said absolutely hateful things about each other to the press every chance they got. Bette Davis once said, "Poor Joan; she's slept with everyone in Hollywood except for Lassie." SAVAGE.
She also said, "The best moment I ever had on screen was when I kicked Joan Crawford down the stairs in 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?'" So, knowing how much they hated each other, and having seen that film as a teenager, I FREAKED out when I saw that Ryan Murphy (creator of Glee, The People vs. OJ Simpson, and American Horror Story) was producing this mini-series.
The whole thing is supposed to be eight episodes -- and I am THRILLED. If you are not well-versed in their feud, you should check out the podcast The Cooler (which is an amazing podcast on pop culture that makes me laugh), because their latest episode will fill you in -- don't worry, though -- if you don't know anything about their feud, it's fine. You'll be obsessed anyway (I'm quite sure) because Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange are playing the leads.
Dead.
I realize that podcasts aren't for everyone, but this podcast was a game changer for me this year because it combines comedy with morbid curiosity. Meaning that, if you've ever been a fan of "true crime" as a genre, then this podcast is for you.
The two hosts (Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff) are hilarious as they fumble through some of their favorite- "to research"- murders...except that the research is really just them reading off of Wikipedia printouts and bumbling the names of serial killers and victims.
Obviously, the two hosts are super endearing in that, you would/do want them for friends. They both work on other projects, but I haven't been able to give them a go, seeing as how this project is sort of how I "see" (hear?) them now.
They've done tours, and I think they'll be touring again soon, so you should check to see if they/re coming your way! Sadly, they haven't been to Texas, yet... but they alluded recently in a segment that they knew Texas was asking them to head south, so maybe sooner than later?!
The podcast is produced by Feral Audio (which has another podcast I adore ... more on that later). So, basically, the two women just read and discuss how crazy and creepy these murders are that they've decided to read about with the help of their sound technician (Stephen) who pipes up every now and then to let the two ladies know that they have misremembered (or completely forgotten) large portions of the story they're focusing on. They also do a segment called Hometown Murders on their Minisodes, which allows for fans to write in and share some creepy, true stories that happened in their hometown.
In this super quirky pairing of darkness and comedy there are a lot of clever moments. I'd also like to mention that the first 10 episodes are kind of the worst when it comes to quality (they didn't have Stephen then)...but they're still audible. So, if you like things like this (and if you watched True Detective, you do), then this might be up your alley. As always, "Stay sexy and don't get murdered."
Passion Planner
Let's talk about why this is so dope:
First of all, I have to write things down. Yes, my work calendar lives in the Google machine (I'm not living under a rock, people.), but I DO stay more organized, motivated, and maintain interest in participating (in anything) if I write it down.
A few months ago, I found all of my "saved" videos on Facebook. Up until then, I had no idea where they went or how I would ever find them, but I knew they were saved somewhere, and then... immediately forgotten. But, as luck would have it, I stumbled upon this company's Kickstarter campaign video that I had saved YEARS ago, and immediately searched to see if they had made it.
(Pssst: this isn't mine.)
They have, indeed. This is probably the perfect planner...and best of all time. Yes, it is that amazing. It has a place to start where you mind map goals for short-term, semi- permanent, and the long-term; it has entire month spreads and daily spreads with space to mind map on each of those pages; it has a space to write a monthly and daily focus, it has to-do lists for months and days; it has reflection pages at the end of each month to see if you're "on track" with what you set out to do; it has check-in points throughout the year; it has tons of blank pages in the back. The best feature however, isn't even in the planner; it's what happens after you purchase the planner.
Their website is so sick, as is their Instagram. SO many life and planner hacks, lots of sick designs and creative ways to use your planner, AND PDF docs that you can cut and paste (literally) into your planner for whatever you need: financial planning, calorie consumption, exercise goals, water intake, lists... It's amazing.
They also list their favorite companion tools and amazing ways to use them. They have dated and undated versions, as well as different colors and sizes.
I constantly get compliments on it and a few of my friends have bought them (probably because I sound like an infomercial) and really, really enjoyed them. They're a good balance of keeping you organized and allowing you to be creative at the same time, if that makes sense.
Anyway, I highly recommend checking them out. Their Instagram is pretty addictive and their webpage is a black hole of fun; I also kind of lose it if I can't find mine, so... it's been a game changer, for sure.
Scope them out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-lOiiS6oHQ&list=PLR6cXdsjtt2qIfL5n7PTnVxPOpDvzBqEd
OK-- no surprise here that I would start with my cult obsession that is Glossier.
From the marketing to the branding, the products and the packaging -- I'm constantly checking their Instagram and suffering from FOMO...G. (I'm hoping that statement clearly and effectively translates my feelings.)
Not going bananas with 8 billion different blog posts about each product because I don't love ANYTHING that much... but, one blog with my faves and raves was a must.
Here. We. Go.
Milky Jelly Cleanser:
Let me start with saying that I have weird, weird skin. My forehead is a grease machine and my cheeks are like the Sahara Desert, so I usually double cleanse my face. For a long time I have avoided wearing eye makeup because a.) I think it ages me and b.) I HATE rubbing my eyes with anything. Period. Cotton balls, wipes, I don't care... worst sensation on such a sensitive area.
But then I watched the YouTube video on this stuff and I have to say... 100% slam dunk. Nailed it. Best. Makeup Remover. Ever. I thought that because it's a jelly, I'd have to wash my face again immediately because it would feel greasy, but nope. Most importantly -- it is the best stuff I have ever used to take off makeup, especially in the eye region. And here's why: the main solution to the jelly is what they use in contact solution. I can open my eyes at ANY point and it doesn't burn, I don't have to use any paper products (amazing), AND it gets off every bit of my eye makeup. And I know this because I use white towels and immediately pat my face after I use it and...voila. Zero makeup.
There is a texture aspect to it that some may hate, but I don't even notice it anymore. I apply it to dry skin (bear with me) and rub off the makeup and IF you can stand that for 55 seconds... you will be so impressed.
Boy Brow:
It's a well-known fact that FOR YEARS (and years) women with sculpted, amazingly arched eyebrows were not only blessed with sensational RBF, but also -- they had a look (acquired naturally) that women paid tons of bread to achieve. If you were blessed with this, then I hope you have enjoyed the last 33 years of my life; slow clap for you. Guess who WASN'T given thinly arched eyebrows from the DNA pool. (It's me.)
But now...Now who gets the last laugh? (Also, when did I get bitter about this and wow, this has taken an aggressive tone.) But seriously, FINALLY, thick eyebrows get their day. I have had them my entire life and have (pathetically) begged estheticians for years to "take off more" and they have REFUSED me every time. Now... I'm glad they did.
Having said that, some of my eyebrow hair is lighter than other parts, so this product has changed the game for me. Look it up: one of THE best sellers of this type of brow fill in....mainly because it's subtle, but does an amazing job of filling in the gaps. It comes in three shades: Brown, Blonde, and Black (sorry, redheads... you're going to have to shine on a little bit longer; they don't make one in your shade -- that's sad to me, but I think they're working on it). I use the blonde shade and it's plenty dark enough for my eyebrows. In fact, it's the exact shade of my eyebrows, but the models who have lighter brows than me pull off blonde with no problem.
The same pomade that works in mustache pomade or wax is used in this stuff, so your eyebrows never get crunchy. If you like wearing minimal makeup (like I do), then this can shape your face in a low key, natural way. Plus, it's hella easy to apply and pretty impossible to mess up. Last, but not least, when this stuff first came out, they had a waiting list of 10,000 (so what does that tell you about their marketing strategies...clever, clever).
Haloscope:
This was my gateway drug into Glossier. I was out having one of those "last nights in New York" with some friends and under the dance floor lights (no, I am not making this up), I noticed that my friend Traci's skin was GORGEOUS. It looked super luminous, really healthy, and not at ALL glittery. I just assumed it was her moisturizer and great genes but turns out... it was this stuff. When I ordered it in August there was a six week waiting list.
I am absolutely serious. And I absolutely bought both original shades. One (Topaz) is for darker skin hues or a summer look (at least for me, because I am incredibly fair skinned), and the second one (Quartz -- probably their best seller between all three) is more universal. There is a third one I haven't tried yet, but I'm sure it's amazing. There's a special formulation to the center of the product and it comes in a stick. Easy to apply, looks super natural, takes zero time, and almost impossible to mess up....although I have managed to do so when I couldn't figure out that one stroke was enough.
So, those are my favorites. They have a new product that I'm dying to try out called Cloud Paint and (because they are marketing geniuses), they chose to debut it on the red carpet of the Oscars this year. Low key, they killed it. Google which faces were wearing it and then do yourself a favor and stalk their videos, webpage, and Instagram. You're welcome.
Hello.
I got on this kick a few months ago where I started crowd sourcing to figure out... life? Meh. It really could be/ can be anything, but most of it started out being about typical life hacks, skin care, and general health/ wellness.
I'm not well-versed enough in any of these domains to devote an entire blog to one category...but, since I started asking people what they're into/ loving, I've found myself thinking, "It would be so great if I had one condensed space to share these things with the interwebs and mostly, just my friends."
So, that's what this little passion project is: a weird (eclectic) place to house all of the things I discover (either on my own or through my posse) that have "changed the game" for me. I don't really have any rules or specificities in mind...I think it will probably leak into music and books (I would imagine), but for now -- just general things that I am loving at the moment and most importantly, why I am loving them.
So,...welcome. If you're into these things, amazing. If they're not for you... maybe something will be down the road. I love a LOT of things, and I'm also a strange mix of champagne taste with a Dr. Pepper budget, so I imagine that's fairly relatable.
For the record, I would describe my style as: urban confusion with high-anxiety related to all things Pinterest. If that sounds like something you could get down with, then...hello.
