Birchbox: May 2012

As I stated in a previous post, my Birchbox subscription is tiding me over while I'm doing my no shopping challenge. Imagine my delight when Zac came back from the driving range, Birchbox in tow! Normally, it arrives around the 15th, so I'm super excited that it came early this month. It's seriously like Christmas morning every time I get one!

Here's a peek at what's inside:

The Contents:

1.) Dr. Jart + Waterfuse BB Cream: These are all the rage right now. I haven't found one that works for me yet, so we'll see what I think of this one!
2.) Color Club Nail Polish in Disco Nap: This looks really fun. I wonder how sheer it'll be. Maybe it'd be a great top coat for other polishes.
3.) Blender Cleanser - make-up sponges and brushes cleaner: I looking forward to using this on my beauty blender that I got in March's Birchbox.
4.) Twistband Skinny Headband: This is really cute! It's a good thing I'm into pink now. It's bright! I think I'll try this as a ponytail holder.
5.) Arquiste Perfume: I like the dry down better than the initial scent. I'm on the fence. I'm pretty particular about the perfumes I like.

Underneath the tissue paper is a notecard sample with an envelope. I didn't see it at first, so that's why I don't have a picture. They always include a non-beauty item in each month's box. This notecard is cute!

And there you have it. I definitely think Birchbox is worth the $10 a month. The nice thing is, you can choose a monthly subscription if you don't want to commit to a full year. Do any of you have a subscription? What do you think?

Quick & Easy Salad Dressing

In the past week, I've made this recipe a handful of times. It's something I just threw together on a whim, and it came out great. I decided that making it in the serving bowl would eliminate superfluous steps and streamline the process.

This is a great trick if you're having a dinner party, or if you need to prepare your salad ahead of time. If the dressing is at the bottom of the bowl, you can just pile the greens on top and toss it together when you're ready to serve. If you do it this way, the greens won't wilt or get soggy. Win!

The more you get to know me, you'll realize that when it comes to cooking, I rarely measure things. I rely on sight, feel, and taste. I just think it's so much easier to grab & go, instead of having to mess with measuring spoons & cups. That's just how I do. Less steps equals less dishes. Am I right?

Now let's get to the good stuff, shall we?

I mix it all together using the tongs that I toss the salad with. Make sure your tongs won't scratch the bowl you're using. Otherwise, use a whisk. If you want to double the "recipe" or make this in a separate container, it should keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Simple Olive Oil Vinaigrette:

3/4 tbl olive oil

1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 tsp honey

1 small pinch of good salt (I like sea salt, but kosher is great, too)

2-3 grinds of freshly cracked pepper or 1/8 tsp black pepper

1-2 good shakes of garlic powder

Serves 2-4 

  

These are approximations. Play around with it and see what you like!

  

Rainy Day Blues

The sound of the rain against the skylight awoke my senses as I stumbled into the bathroom this morning. "Not again," I said with a sigh.

Today is probably the 8th day in a row of rainy, gloomy, stereotypically Seattle weather. It's May 3rd, but if you didn't know any better, you'd think it was November. Or maybe January. Perhaps even March.

Who am I kidding? Today looks and feels like it could be ANY day in Seattle.

I decided to be a masochist and look at the 10-day forecast, hoping to find at least ONE sunny day in the midst of rain showers. Much to my delight, I was shocked to find 9 of 10 days promising just what I need: sun, warmth and more sun.

In my efforts to appreciate what I have, I've tried to tone down my outspoken desire to move back to California, and focus on what I love about living in Washington. But when the weather is a big reason why I find it a challenge to live here, it's hard to remember the good things.

When it's nice out, I definitely try to squeeze every last drop out of each day- I'll go outside on my breaks at work and sit on a bench, I'll read a magazine on our lawn, or I'll take the dog on a nice stroll of the area. I'm already planning what I'm going to do next week if the forecast doesn't change. I see lots of grilling, lounging on the patio, and sunbathing in my future.