Custom stationery | Long stemmed rose | Pretty signage | Amazing tacos | Diner coffee | Refreshing drinks
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2011 Holiday Wine Guide
Thanks to Janine Aquino, proprietor of Camelot Cellars, I’m able to share this amazing holiday wine guide! Here are some other tips and wine advice from Janine:
- If you like a Cabernet Sauvignon, try an Italian Amarone instead. Lots of flavor with a slight sweetness, almost raisin like. If you like the oaky buttery, vanilla quality of a Chardonnay, try an unoaked Chardonnay instead. It’s much lighter and refreshing.
- Her #1 suggestion for this season is to go to wine tastings that are informational rather than ones where they simply pour wines and you taste. When you see a wine tasting you might be interested in, call them and ask what style the tasting is going to be.
- When you are in a grocery store buying wine, look for bottles laying on their side. This is telling you the cork is wet and won’t dry out causing wine to turn into vinegar. Also look for wines by geographic region. Typically if you like a lighter bodied, easy drinking wine, you’ll want to try a French, Chilean or Washington state wine. If you prefer medium to heavier bodied wines, try ones from California, Italy or Australia.
- Drink what you like. There is no right or wrong answer. Don’t force yourself to drink something because it’s “in.” At the end of the day, wine is simply a beverage.
December Birchbox Review
I got my December Birchbox last week and over the weekend, I finally got a chance to use the products and compile my review! First of all, I was really excited to see that they are donating 100% of all full-size sales to Baby Buggy (with a guaranteed contribution of $25,000). Okay, onto what’s inside:
- AHAVA | Mineral Body Lotion : Not going to lie, I absolutely cannot stand the scent of this lotion. I used a pea-sized amount and washed my hands afterwards. I will not be using or buying any more of this.
- amika | Obliphica Hair Treatment : I also did not enjoy the scent of this oil so I didn’t use it on my hair. Also, it had leaked in my box before it was delivered so my entire box smelled like this oil.
- Incoco | Nail Polish Applique : Ehh…nail polish strips? I guess I just enjoy using regular polish.
- Jouer | Moisturizing Lip Glass in Birchbox Pink : I actually really love this shade (it’s not as bright as it looks) and am considering buying some Jouer products with my Birchbox points.
- Prep ShowStoppers | Designer Fashion Tape : I have never had the need to use tape to keep my clothes in the right place but I’ll keep this around in case I ever need to!
- Recharge Eboost | Orange Natural Energy Booster : I actually liked the taste and could see myself ordering a few packets for those times at work that I don’t want to drink a Diet Coke or a coffee!
Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with December’s Birchbox. I actually think I’ll be canceling my subscription for the month of January and signing up/giving MyGlam a try! I love that they’re solely focued on makeup but their website is definitely lacking. I love that Birchbox allows you to gain credits and even buy the products through their website. Have any of you tried MyGlam? If you’re a Birchbox subscriber, what did you get? Anything different that you love?
If you want to sign up for Birchbox, you can use this invite link (yes I get credits) or you can read my November review here!
Some of My Favorite Things
I was planning on reviewing my December Birchbox today but I wanted to actually USE all the products so that I could contribute to the review other than listing what’s inside. Instead, I thought I’d share some of my current favorite products. For me, a recommendation goes a long way. If a close friend or a favorite blog suggests a product (freely and not as an advertisement), I usually write it down or pick it up at the store. Some of my recent favorites include:
- OPI’s Getting Miss Piggy With It. Sparkly nail polish is definitely a trend right now but when have women really ever stopped loving glitter? I love this shade because it has the shimmer of a regular glitter polish but also large silver pieces of glitter that–when applied–look really fun! I actually used a bright red polish before applying the glitter to get an opaque look.
- Clinique’s Cream Shaper for Eyes. I was at Macy’s picking up my Clinique facial care and mascara when the lady suggested that I try their eyeliner. I probably rolled my eyes because I hate pencil eyeliner. It always smudges and at the end of the day, it’s all gone. BUT, this actually lasts. I’m shocked. Buy it. It’s great. It even has a little shimmer.
- Burt’s Bees Facial Towelettes. If I need to remove my makeup quickly before working out or going to bed, I use these towelettes. They don’t smell strong (like Neutrogena’s) and they’re 99.1% natural.
- Design for Living 32-Ounce Stackable Tritan Water Bottle. My favorite water bottle. EVER! It holds a lot of water, great design and with one twist of the cap it’s completely sealed. And they stack. (Yes Adam has one too).
- Brilliant Shampoo and Conditioner by Aveda. HOLY COW this stuff smells good. My best friend was visiting and borrowed it while showering and even commented on how amazing this stuff smells. My hair always feels great and the scent lasts for a long time. It’s pretty pricey (in my opinion) but I’m going to need to upgrade and buy the bigger bottles after I run out.
Check back next week for my December Birchbox review, an amazing new CITY GUIDE, special holiday tips on picking the perfect wine, and of course some Christmas cheer.
Looking for Collaborators
If you’re interested in collaborating on a blog post here on Show + Tell, I’d love to have you! My three current series are: One Day (wedding series), City Guides (share what you love about your city/town) and MEET (interviews with creatives). I’m also always up for promoting small shops and artists through features, giveaways and wish list boards.
Leave a comment below if you’re interested or contact me through my contact form above!
Girl Crush: Charlize
Besides being absolutely gorgeous, I actually really LOVE Charlize as an actress. Classy. Definitely on my girl crush list.
Free Holiday Gift Tag Download
Download your set of 4 holiday gift tags here! I pretty much never want to spend money on wrapping paper, bows, or tags so I figured if you felt the same, you could download this PDF, print and cut them out a few minutes before the family or kiddos open their presents. Enjoy!
MEET : Liz Franco
MEET Liz. I’ve been a longtime fan of Liz’s blog Srslyliz.com and I am so excited to feature her in the MEET series. She has lovely taste, shares such amazing finds, and truly inspires me to be a better blogger! Here’s a little more information about Liz pulled from her blog:
Liz Franco is a freelance web + graphic designer born & raised a California girl. She currently holds a full-time job related to politics but after finding herself consistently dabbling in all things design-related decided to upgrade her hobby into what she hopes to soon establish as her main squeeze, also known as Operation: Flee the cubicle.
Liz resides in a victorian era downtown home with her boyish beau Glenn & their ewokian pooch sir Walter. She enjoys playing dress up, vintage treasures, being a social butterfly and probably couldn’t live without her iPhone, Kindle or Asiago cheese.
1. I loved finding your blog because I could really resonate with holding a day job and juggling freelance, creative hobbies, and everything else that interests you. What does your day-to-day schedule look like? Do you designate certain days to work or play? It’s really, really, REALLY draining most days. You have to work super hard in order to get a big pay-off but I truly believe its possible. With the help of my Erin Condren Life Planner I’m able to stay organized and on top of things for both my personal and online life. On an average day I work from 8-5, come home, eat dinner, block out a few hours for design work/blogging/emails & then curl up on the couch or in bed with my laptop watching movies or have a date night with the boyfriend. Some days, however. I just know that creatively I’m drained and nothing productive will come about so on those days I just try to relax and focus on doing something nice for myself like painting my nails or downloading a new Kindle book.
2. Lately, what helps you feel balanced? Lately I’ve found that unplugging does wonders for my sanity. No tweeting/blogging/checking emails brings my stress level WAY down when I’m feeling overwhelmed. A glass {or 3} of wine & catching up on American Horror Story are my ideal relaxing nights in.
3. What are three things you must do every day, no matter what? Drink water // Wear mascara // Call my mama
4. Where and when did you get Walter, your cutie pie pup? We got Walter almost 3 years ago, from a breeder. He’s a Brussels Griffon and Glenn’s dream dog so we actually traded services–a re-designed website for a puppy :)
5. Share a movie, book and song that you are currently loving. Puncture {such an eye-opening film} // Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) {hilarious must-read} // My World {oh hello, girl crush}
6. Any tips for those about to jump into the blogging world? Be committed, hire a blog designer, make friends, develop your own voice & be nice to everyone.
To learn more about Liz you can subscribe to her blog, follow her on Twitter, Dribbble or Tumblr,
Seasonal Photography
Whether it’s analog, digital or iPhone photography…I’ve been shooting in “color” a lot lately. I’d love to create a seasonal set with some Kodak Ektar 100 film based on color. Now only if there was more daylight throughout the day. Maybe it’s because I’m shooting more film this year but the whole “shorter days” thing has really affected me a lot more this year than past years. (all photos taken on my iPhone4S) Oh also, I’m taking a break from Monday Link Love for awhile. I find that since I tweet all of my favorite Internet finds all week long, I run out of ideas. Follow me on Twitter if you want in on all my cool finds!
Vardagen Giveaway Winner
Congrats, Becca! You’ve won yourself one of these red ugly Christmas sweater shirts from Vardagen! I hope you can wear it to a million festive Christmas parties this year. I’ll be emailing you to get your size and mailing address! Thanks to ALL who entered. I wish I could give all 65 of you a shirt. Maybe someday when I’m a gazillionaire. But seriously, you should still support Vardagen and order your own shirt today!
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