KAREPMU OPO SE

Trick... or Treat?

Happy Halloween all! At the moment I am in my bathrobe, with absolutely giant puffy curly hair. Basically getting ready for tonight. I'm going as a 1940's Lady but with the way my hair is right now I have a feeling I could put on a crinoline and a bunch of necklaces, call myself Madonna circa 1985 and people wouldn't question it. Hopefully I can transform my look from bad perm to sleek retro 'do- pics will be posted in the next couple of days!

I'll leave you with one of my favourite Teen Vogue shoots from October 2004. Trick or Treat!

You can check out my Halloween posts from last year by clicking on the Halloween label!

Rocktober Challenge - Week 4 and more

The last week of the Rocktober Challenge is done!!! This challenge tested me not only physically, but mentally. I did things I never thought I would be able to do. I did miss 2 days though. So for the 31 days of October I worked out 29 days. I personally think that is amazing. Yes, I will toot my own horn. There were so many days when I did not want to workout. There were so many days when I thought I could not do another day, another sit-up, or take another step on the treadmill. But I did it. WOW!

10/22 - 20 minutes on treadmill and strength training
10/23 - went to the pumpkin patch and ran around with a bunch of 5-year olds (most tiring exercise of the whole month)
10/24 - arms, back, and abs
10/25 - NOTHING. (but I got myself back together. I did not want to fall apart at the end.)
10/26 - circuits of jumping jacks, abs, and legs while watching The View
10/27 - w7d2 of c25k
10/28 - Total Body Pilates and abs
10/29 - w7d3 of c25k and abs. I think I may need to do this week of c25k again, or at least one more day of it. It was a struggle and I don't see how I can add to it in the condition I am in now.
10/30 - level 2 of the 30 day Shred
THE LAST DAY 10/31 - repeated w7d3 of c25k.

I still have room from improvement though. I think I have hit a mental roadblock with running. I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to get past 2.5 miles continuously. This may not be a long distance for all, but for a non-runner like me I am impressed I can even do that. But I have to figure out a way to push myself.

I also need to work on my diet. For the most part I would say I eat pretty healthy, especially during the week when I am at work. It is when I am off that I am concerned. I enjoy waffles, but I think I am having them to frequently. And then there is the occasional Oreo (but that is only when I go to VA for work). I think I am "treating" myself for having to go out there. But no excuses...I have to do better.

The real results will be seen tomorrow when I finally weigh myself. I have seen changes in my body and my jeans are too big, but I would like to see changes on the scale. I have not weighed myself all October. The only way I accomplished this was having the Hubs hide the scale. So tomorrow I will see. Hoping the results are indicative of the work I put in.

My Battle with "Being Green"

It is not emotional, spiritual, or even financial (and that is usually the issue for me). So what is the issue...it's immunological. That's right, my own freakin body is fighting my quest to be green.
A little backstory: Sometime in my early 20's I started developing food allergies. I don't know why or what happened, but there they were. It started with bananas, i think. But in that list of food allergies are sunflower seed/oil/etc. and almond nut/oil/etc.
So what does food allergies have to do with being green? Well, sunflower oil and/or almond oil are in probably 90% of organic products for your hair and skin. Why? Because they are so great.
Benefits of sunflower oil: It is very high in essential fatty acids; helps moisturize, regenerate, and condition skin. Good for sensitive skin (just not mine).
Benefits of almond oil: It is a great emollient for softening and conditioning skin; rich in essential fatty acids.
Therefore, it is used for lots of stuff; lotions, lip balm, soap, conditioners, etc.
That means I have to read the ingredients of everything. It can be very annoying. So I finally found chapstick that does not contain either of these oils from Dr. Bronner's. This is great because I can buy it at target. And soap Shea Moisture (also can be bought at Target). Conditioner: Giovanni (also at Target). Does anyone else see how much I love Target. And yes as I am writing this I am pronouncing it Tar-jay because it is where I get all my fancy products, so its better. Duh.
But other items are not so easy. It took me months to find a facial moisturizer with SPF that was "green" and did not contain sunflower and/or almond oil. But, with persistence I finally found it. The issue is I have to buy if off the internet and I don't really know how great it will work. But I am optimistic. Keys Solar Rx Moisturizing Sunblock SPF 30 was voted the number 1 Moisturizing Sunscreen by the Environmental Working Group for 2009. That means it is the best green product in the category. AND it does not have sunflower or almond oil. So I am off to order this product.
Review to follow.

all along the eastern shore / put your circuits in the sea / this is what the world is for / making electricity

I'm still growing out my hair and I'm in the mood for a bit of a change. Maybeeeee... red hair? My hair is a fairly dark shade of brown so I would probably go for a darker red. Have any of you ever done an extreme hair color change?

Recipe of the Week - Fail

So this week I tried something new. Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto that I got from here. I have never had or made risotto before so I was not sure how it would taste, but it looked good and I was willing to try it. All I knew was that it was similar to rice and they made it on every episode of Hell's Kitchen this year.

Now I think I cooked it the appropriate amount of time, but it was a little firm. I cooked it longer, but it was still firm. That is what is in the directions (tender, but firm), but the Hubs said it tasted like it was not done. To me it was the same texture and firmness as rice you get at Chinese restaurants.

As you can see from the title, it was a fail. I personally did not think it was bad (believe me I have no issue saying something I made was nasty). On the other hand, the Hubs did not even give it a try. Well ok, he took a bite out of what was in the pan and decided he was going to eat something else for dinner.

I will admit, I was a little pissed. It is fine with me if he does not like something, but he did not even try it. He has never had risotto either, so I told him it was similar to rice, but I guess he wanted it to taste like rice. Whatever. So from now on I will stick to ingredients he has had before because obviously he is not into experimenting. Guess there is no point in me trying quinoa or bulgur. Guess I will stick to making pasta dishes.

Recipe of the Week- FAIL. Better luck next week.

Winter Hair Routine

I have been developing a routine for my hair. Trying to make the amount of time I spend on it shorter and more efficient. I am also trying to protect my delicate strands from the harsh winter weather.

Weekly

Co-Wash with Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Conditioner (this can be bought a Target)

Detangle with the same conditioner - To do this I divide my hair into 4 sections. Put a good amount of conditioner one the section. Comb the conditioner through with my fingers. Then detangle with a large tooth comb under the shower stream. The twist the section. Repeat for all sections.

Then I completely rinse the conditioner out of my hair with lukewarm water while still in the twists.

Once out of the shower I use Curls Coconut Sublime Moisturizing Conditioner as my leave-in and then sytle my hair. My hairstyle of choice for this winter is 2-strand twists. I do this on wet hair and style with my homeade shea butter concoction.

Bi-Weekly

I clarify my hair with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of lemon juice mixed with conditioner. I have been using Aussie Moist Conditioner (this can be bought at any grocery store). It is pretty cheap and doesn't have bad products for my hair. Then I follow my weekly routine from above.
Note: I am clarifying my hair so frequently because I work out a lot. Therefore, I get a lot of sweat build-up and I need to clarify.

I am hoping that by doing this routine I can keep my hair from breaking and improve growth during the winter months.

I know I need to add some deep conditioning treatments in the mix. Maybe I will try to do them on the weeks I do not clarify. And while my hair seems to be sensitive to proteins, I think it might benefit from a protein treatment every once in a while. I am going to try it out and see what the results are.

You may have noticed there is no shampoo in this routine. That is because I follow the No-Poo Method. Find out more about it here. I personally believe it is the best method for curly hair whether you are black, white, or somewhere in between. If you have curly hair I would definitely recommend you try it.

Paulina Rubio Hair, Fashion, Makeup Style

Paulina Rubio Hair, Fashion, Makeup Style

Hollywood, California is home to the Hollywood Palladium. The 9th Annual Padre’s Contra El Cancer’s “El Sueno De Esperanza” Gala was held at the Palladium. Latin singer Paulina Rubio was one of many in attendance.
Paulina Rubio

Paulina looked wonderful from head to toe. Her makeup was flattering and simple. She wore pink lipstick, blush, and mascara. She lined her eyes in a way that was unique and highlighted them; she wore black eyeliner on top and a silvery blue one on the bottom. Her hair was parted on the side and her bangs were swept over her forehead. The rest of her hair was left loose and fell around her head and shoulders naturally. Her hair had large, loose curls in it and was very flattering and lovely.
Paulina has a lot of style and great color sense. She wore a teal blue, wraparound dress that went to her knees. The dress accented her nice figure and had small, tasteful slits around the knees for ease of walking. She wore shiny black heels and a short, black leather jacket with the dress. The color combination was perfect and she looked very stylish. For jewelry, she wore a wraparound necklace that ended in a swirled pendant, lots of bracelets that ranged from charms to semi-precious stones, and a silver armband. Everything that she wore tied together perfectly. Paulina was hands down one of the very best dressed stars there. Some of the other celebrities could stand to take a few fashion lessons from Paulina.
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Satellites gone / Up to the sky / Things like that drive me / Out of my mind

Yesterday I went to a memorial for a wonderful man who taught me during college. He is really one in a million, and will be deeply missed. To say that he 'worked' in the theatre community is an understatement, and it was amazing to see people from all over the Vancouver theatre community coming together to celebrate his life. Lloyd, you will be missed.

black knit sweater - forever 21 / oversize grey shirt - cherry bomb / grey long sleeve shirt - joe fresh / jeans - primark / boots - somewhere in northern ireland... / brooch - forever 21 / bag - max c

Does anyone have any big plans for Halloween? What are you going as? I'm going to be dressed as a 1940's 'Lady'. I'll take tonnnnes of pics.

Patricia Arquette Hair, Fashion, Makeup Style

Patricia Arquette Hair, Fashion, Makeup Style

The star of the hit show “Medium” recently attended a party held at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California. The party was called “Paleyfest: Fall TV Preview Party for CBS.” Patricia looked beautiful as usual.
Patricia Arquette

Patricia’s hair and makeup made her look sweet and sassy. Her makeup was done perfectly. She wore blush, dark pink lipstick, mascara, and line her eyes in black. Her hair was a short style that had layers and was shaped around her ears and close to her hair. The longer layers were in large, loose curls on top of her head in a flattering style. The eyeliner and the hairstyle really put emphasis on Patricia’s beautiful face and brought out her eyes.
Patricia wore a pantsuit instead of a dress to the party. She looked great in it. Her long-sleeved shirt was a V-neck with a high collar in the back. Ruffles were along the lower part of the V right above her chest. Patricia can get away with ruffles, unlike some stars who don’t know when too many is just too many. Her pants were very loose and flowing around her legs; they went all the way to the floor and covered her shoes completely, but the style didn’t make her seem sloppy. The outfit is a great one to emulate if anyone wants to flatter any imperfections in their figure and look more slender at the same time. She wore a black belt and small gold hoop earrings. She added two long necklaces that were very pretty. One was gold and large frosted purple diamonds. The other had small, round, frosted purple beads and semi-precious stones.
Photos/PR PHOTOS

Recipe of the Week

Well this week I did not make anything special, but I wanted to make sure that I cooked something this week. So I made some baked salmon, baked potatoes, and asparagus. Yes, I know not exciting in any way. Not as good as what I made last week in any way. But I am going to find something good for next week. Then we will see if the Hubs like it.

Rocktober Challenge - Week 3

Three weeks down of the Rocktober Challenge. This is such a mental and physical challenge, but it is so rewarding. I know I cannot keep this up forever, but from doing this challenge I know that I can work out 5-6 days a week with no problem. OK, probably 5 days. It is very hard for me to work out on my days off. And I have realized this even more doing this challenge. When I am off, I like to be OFF. But I digress, here is what I did this week. I did miss a day, so bad. It was because of work and not planning well. My body did enjoy the day off and unlike how I would have done in the past, I jumped right back into my workout the next day.

10/15 - P90X Yoga
10/16 - 30 min Boot Camp Cardio
10/17 - NOTHING! so bad
10/18 - W6D3 of C25K
10/19 - elliptical and strength training
10/20 - W7D1 of C25K
10/21 - elliptical and strength training

I also realized something yesterday. I need a smaller pair of jeans. I was able to take off my jeans while they were still buttoned and zipped. This is a huge deal for me. Since I am not weighing myself this month, and because I am my own worst critic, I have not really noticed if I have lost any weight. I know that I am stronger and have greater endurance and I have started to change my mental outlook on working out, but I have not really been able to tell if I have lost weight. Well, I guess I have since I need new jeans. But I will be waiting a while before I do that. Good to know though.

Laura Croft Trendy Fashion Style

Laura Croft's Trendy Fashion Style

American model Laura Croft recently attended an evening hosted by Holly Madison. The event was held at Studio 54 at MGM Hotel and Casino. Laura looked sassy and chic. Laura wore her makeup beautifully. She wore a dark pink lipstick, blush, and highlighted her eyes with a pale blue eyeshadow. She wore mascara and lined her eyes with black and silver; it was a beautiful combination with the dress she was wearing. She wore her shoulder length hair straight and curled outwards at the ends. Having her hair curled outwards was a great choice because it balanced out her hairstyle; her hair was very puffy on the top and looked too big for her but the curls helped. Without them, her hair would have looked a bit fake and even with the curls, she barely pulled off the style. Her bangs were cut just above the eyes and were a bit jagged, which was a cute look.
Good Looking Laura Croft

Laura wore a white mini dress with black designs on it. The designs were a paisley print that some women would not be able to wear. The model looked great in her dress, which showed off all her curves. The tight dress also showed a lot of leg and cleavage, which would not draw any complaints about Laura. She accented her dress with a necklace of black beads and a sporty watch. Her incredible boots were the best part of her outfit. They were knee-high and leather and looked very sexy on Laura. She looked wonderful and she knew she looked sexy.
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Sarah Jessica Parker Stylish Fashion

Sarah Jessica Parker Stylish Fashion

The star of “Sex and the City,” Sarah Jessica Parker has been in New York City filming the sequel, “Sex and the City 2.” The star was looking as beautiful as ever when photographed with her co-stars on the set. Filming was held at the Bergdorf Goodman department store.
Sarah Jessica Parker

Sarah wore a flattering white dress. The low v-neck dress had three-quarter length sleeves and a flared skirt that stopped just above her knees. The dress was gathered around her waist in a wide white belt. It gave great definition to her figure and was lovely on Sarah. She wore a beaded necklace that was many different colors, big sunglasses, and little diamond stud earrings. She wore gold high heels that tied her gold and white clutch purse perfectly to her outfit. The dress was flowing and romantic, perfect for a star or any woman who would like to dress comfortably yet fashionably for a trip out of the house.
Sarah’s medium length hair was left loose about her face and shoulders. She had some curl and bounce to her hair and it looked great left loose with such a flowing dress. Her hair was parted on the side, which is a great way to give a style like this some variety. Her hair had some highlights in it that framed her face and drew attention to her great bone structure. The style gave Sarah a carefree look that was glamorous. She wore a pale lipgloss, black eyeliner, and was wearing a pale blue eyeshadow that brought her eyes out.
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we only like you cause you're cute and young

Vancouver is a very laid back city; we have a multitude of beaches, lot's of sushi restauraunts and ~~sometimes~~ we smoke weed. We definetly arn't known for dressing up, but hopefully that is soon to change. Vancouver's old style blog The Commodified closed not too long ago and I have been pining for a new street style blog ever since! Now we've got one. Vancouver's got style- you can see for yourself by checking out StyleQuotient.ca.

In other news, I went to see a DRAGONETTE show last Saturday. They were awesome! If you don't know Dragonette, they are a up-and-coming Canadian indie/rock/pop/electro band who just recently released their second album. You can listen to their lead single "Fixin' To Thrill" below off of their album of the same name. Beware, this song is highly addicting!

Bad Hair Day!

OMG. I am having such a bad hair day. I must admit I have not had many since reading the Curly Nikki blog. I mean my hair is nowhere near as fabulous as hers, and there are good days and OK days. But it has been a while since I have had a bad hair day. I wish I could just stay in the house and worry about it tomorrow. So what did I do to try to help this situation...Pulled my hair into a high pony puff and keep it moving.

What is sad is this is how I used to wear my hair all the time. I mean every day. I knew it was bad then and I felt like i was having a bad hair day everyday for like a year.

Hopefully I will have a better day tomorrow. But it is funny how your hair can ruin your entire day.

Recipe of the Week

This is my first week of "Make a New Recipe a Week". Today I made Evelyn's Favorite Pasta. I got it from here. Apparently it is a take on a recipe from the Cheesecake Factory. I have never had it there, but this recipe is very good. And on top of that it is healthy. The real test is whether or not the Hubs likes it. He is not that picky so if I like it he should. And the verdict is...YES! Now the quest to look for the recipe for next week.

Rocktober Challenge - Week 2

Week 2 of the Rocktober Challenge is done and I am on to week 3. I will admit it is getting hard. I am trying to mix up the workout so I am not doing the same thing all the time. And the weather is getting cold fast so just doing outdoor activities that could count as 30 minutes of physical activity is not happening. So here is what I did for week 2:

10/8 - w6d1 of C25K
10/9 - total body resistance band exercises and abs - 1 hour
10/10 - w6d2 of C25K and arms
10/11 - elliptical for 30 min. and legs
10/12 - 30 min. arms
10/13 - walked the US Capitol and the Capitol Visitor Center - 1 hour
10/14 - repeated w6d2 of C25K. I did so much better this time

So that is what I have done. I am really trying to do this every day. It will be a huge accomplishment for me to have done all 31 days at the end of the month. I know the Hubs is proud of me and that make me want to keep going. I am proud of myself too and I do not want to let myself down.

Going Green: Laundry Detergent

As I have to replace my traditional products I am buying "green" ones. I personally think it is a waste to throw all the old stuff away and I have been using it my whole life so using it for a little longer is not going to have any more detrimental of an effect on my health than it already has. So I am getting "green" laundry detergent. In fact, I am going to start to make my own. I am a chemist at heart, so this is right up my alley...and it is like 10x cheaper than the free and sensitive products i was buying before.

There are several recipes for DIY detergents here. I was going to do the powdered detergent...easier, but the Hubs says he would rather have liquid so I will give it a try.

The recipe I am going to use is:
1 quart water (boiling)
2 cups of bar soap (grated) I am going to use Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Organic Bar Soap
2 cups Borax (found in the laundry aisle)
2 cups Washing Soda (found in the laundry aisle)Very basic and if I don't like the results, I haven't wasted much money. And there are several recipes so I will just try another...maybe powder.I will show my results when I have them.

Currently Coveting: the shaggy coat

Shaggy, furry- as long as it's faux, it's fine by me! I'm wavering between a rock n' roll or bohemian style one, although I'm sure many of these could double depending on what you're wearing underneath. I think this mission demands a trip to the salvation army- I should be able to find a perfectly broken in shaggy coat there.

p.s. when I was googling 'shaggy coat' the rapper Shaggy kept coming up. ohgod i feel old.

Ann Demeulemeester Fall 2008

Gucci Fall 2008

I'd love to rock the shaggy coat, as long as I don't end up looking like this (but if Harrison Ford is involved then count me in!):

Can you force yourself to enjoy something? I really don't know. I have been trying to force myself to enjoy working out and I have been working out every day this October as part of the Rocktober Challenge. But, I must admit I still do not LIKE working out. I am hoping at the end of the month I will see big changes in the way my clothes fit and this will give me more motivation. I am not going to lie, I want to see the changes on the scale too.

Another thing that I do not enjoy is cooking. I do not understand this. I come from a family that cooks, my mom caters, my grandmother bakes cakes that people fight over. But still, I do not like cooking. So I have decided that I am going to make myself do it. I am going to pick a recipe from one of the several cookbooks we have in or house and once a week I am going to make that recipe. Once a week may not sound like a lot, but this is going to be a challenge for me. Because if I don't enjoy something I just chose to not do it. Ask my husband. He always asks "What did you make for dinner tonight?" Um, nothing. I know I am a bad wife. Trust me I do feel bad, but still. So I am going to move my way over to the cabinet with the cookbooks and pick one. Keep you posted.

Kristin Davis Hairstyle, Makeup, Fashion Styling

Kristin Davis Hairstyle, Makeup, Fashion Styling

Kristin Davis was looking blindingly pink and proper at the filming of “Sex and the City 2.” The filming is being done in everyone’s favorite city, New York, and Kristin looked great as always. Just too pink.
Kristin wore pink from head to toe. A different shade may have been better since this was bright pink and slightly painful to the eyes. She looks good in pink, it just would have been better if it had been a darker shade of pink. She wore a pink, knee length pencil skirt with a small slit in back, a pink shirt that buttoned up, and high heels that were pink and white. Her shirt had a crew neck collar, buttoned all the way up with round, pink buttons, and was fitted around the waist. From there it flared out into a ruffled skirt like hem. She carried a big purse in the same pink shade. She accented with a bracelet and diamond stud earrings.
Kristin Davis

Kristin wore her hair straight back and sleek. Her hair came to below her shoulders and looked to be extremely bouncy and healthy. She had her hair parted on the side and then styled to frame her face. It’s a beautiful look for any woman with any facial shape; her look is a great one to copy for women who want their faces to be thinner. She wore a pink lipstick that matched her dress and pink eyeshadow that matched her dress but helped to bring out her eyes. She also added a bit of color to her cheeks with pink blush.
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Hairspiration

Here are some of my current hair inspiration pics. As always you can find many many more in my photobucket album; "Hair Files" which I update constantly! You can also see the other hair posts I've made in the past by clicking here.

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