I love Christmas. I love the traditions, the memories it brings about, all the great food, giving gifts, and seeing family. If you celebrate Christmas, I hope that you have a wonderful time this weekend and I’ll be back to blogging next Tuesday with a new One Day series feature, a film/iPhone/digital comparison, and another city guide! Merry Christmas!

Earlier this month, my friend Jess sent me a link about how you could sign up for Julep Maven for $0.01! The Julep Maven box, which is normally $20 per month, is an assortment of nail polish and nail care products delivered to your door! The boxes are valued at $40 and contains full sized polishes and products. Since I signed up in December, I received an introductory box and still have the option to continue before my January box arrives. My initial thoughts of this service (before even receiving the box) were fantastic. Their website is put together well and explains the subscription thoroughly. I’m even able to shop directly on their website for bottles of polish (which cost $14 each). Some of the fun perks of this service is that each month you can preview what’s coming and then have a choice to skip the month, send the box to your friend, try a new style or upgrade. I also get a free month if two people sign up through my link. (Hint, Hint!) Enough about all that…let’s move onto what’s inside:

1. Two polishes: One called “Demi” which is a burgundy shade and “Leighton” which is a silver shade. The polish goes on thick, smoothly, AND dries fast. I used both and you can see how it looks on my nails below (photos taken on my iPhone). The burgundy shade wasn’t anything extraordinary but the silver shade was really opaque and I liked that.
2. Glitter pot: Amazing name. I used this on top of the Leighton polish and it was really fun! If you’re not neat, glitter can definitely get everywhere. I must say, the glitter doesn’t get as flat or smooth as a glitter polish but it’s still fun.
3. Julep “Facial for Hands” Glycolic Hand Scrub: This smells great and made my hands SO soft. Something really fun that I would normally think to buy.
4. Two samples (Hand Cream and Age Defying Hand Brightener): I only tried the hand cream and it was so smooth. I don’t like really strong smelling lotion and this was so mild (slightly like yogurt? weird, I know). I actually see myself buying a bottle of this lotion. I keep feeling how soft my hands are while I’m writing this. Creepy? Maybe.

Overall, I really love this subscription. I kind of geek out over nail polish so ultimately I would love to get each month’s box. I will probably skip occasionally or maybe even send to a friend unless I really love the shades offered. Again, if you want to sign up, click here and you can take a test about your style. My next beauty reviews will be about some of the fun products that I recently bought with my Birchbox points (Zoya and Deborah Lippman polishes) and my first MyGlam box (next month’s box is valued at $50 worth of makeup!) so keep your eye out!

Today’s CITY GUIDE post is brought to you by Tom Summerfield of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Enjoy!

Rotterdam in The Netherlands often gets overlooked by travelers who tend to frequent Amsterdam instead and then move straight on to another country. I would just like to say that although Amsterdam is wonderful, Rotterdam is more than worth your time as well.

I’ve been living here for the last few months with my girlfriend and have come up with a mini city guide so you can get a feel for what Rotterdam is all about. These are some of our favorite things to do and some of the places that we love to frequent.

1. Start the day with a walk through the Oude Haven (which means Old Port in Dutch) – there are some neat little shops here and some great photo opportunities. It’s also surrounded by lots of fantastic bars and restaurants where during spring and summer when the weather is nice, are overflowing with locals eating and drinking.

2. Head towards the close by and famous ‘Cube Houses’ – Rotterdam is renowned worldwide for its amazing Architecture which came about due to the fact it was almost completely bombed in World War II. Instead of rebuilding the city the way it was, Rotterdam decided to get funky and creative and build lots of architecturally quirky and stunning buildings. The Cube Houses are a great example of this attitude, and believe it or not – real people live inside them! They are fun to see and one of them is even open as a museum, so you can go in and see what it’s like on the inside for yourself!

3. From the Cube Houses, you can head straight down into the Rotterdam Markets. They run on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and the markets are truly something that we just love about this city. They are vibrant, buzzing and alive with vendors selling everything from flowers to cheese to bicycle locks to clothes to antiques to old video games.

When you’re at the Markets, make sure you try a ‘Turkse Pizza’ (thin warmed Turkish bread with meat on top rolled up with fresh salad and garlic and hot sauce) and ‘Kibberling’ (snack bite pieces of deep fried fish served with garlic sauce). I also love getting my cheese here from the smaller cheese producers that come in especially for the Markets. They tend to sell much nicer cheese then what you can get from the local supermarkets.

4. Once you’ve had your fill of the busy markets, go to the ‘Meent’ – which is a street full of wonderful cafes, bars and restaurants (and it runs through the end of the Markets). Here I recommend stopping for a coffee and a bakery treat at ‘Vlamsch Broodhuys’. If you didn’t find the Turkse Pizza or Kibberling appealing, then Vlamsch Broodhuys also has a selection of divine sandwiches on offer – I’ve found all of the ingredients they use to be of the highest quality, and tasty too!

5. When you’re ready for dinner, a favorite of ours on the Meent is the Italian restaurant Napoli (the Dutch love Italian food). They serve extremely delicious and authentic Italian in a lively atmosphere. The house red wine is an excellent drop, and the food is top notch. If you’re going on a Saturday night – you will want to book ahead to secure a table.

6. Once you’ve enjoyed your dinner, then no doubt you’re ready for a few drinks. In Holland, most drinking spots are called cafes rather than pubs – so don’t be fooled into thinking a café is not a fantastic spot to enjoy a drink! One of the best cafes on the Meent is definitely Café Van Zanten. The atmosphere is trendy yet unpresuming and there is a nice selection of various drinks to keep everyone happy. Whenever we go there we find the staff are always friendly and a treat to deal with.

Thus ends the little tour of some of our favorite places in Rotterdam city, so if you do find yourself traveling through The Netherlands – give Rotterdam a chance to win you over.

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.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Incoco | Nail Polish Applique : Ehh…nail polish strips? I guess I just enjoy using regular polish.
4. 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.
5. 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!
6. 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!

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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).
5. 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.

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!

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,

It’s easy in the “blog world” to get overwhelmed or put off by the amount of materialistic posts. I never want my readers to feel like that but I DO love sharing deals, fun shops, and supporting companies that I trust. I hate malls but I do love to go shopping. Adam and I budget every month and are on track towards becoming debt-free so I’m not indulging myself every time I get the itch to shop. Here are a few ways in which I curb that desire to drop my hard earned cash:

1. Online window shop. Seriously. I’ll fill up my cart after I carefully peruse my favorite online shops. Once I’m done…I click out of the tab. Nothing bought but yet I sort of feel like I did. Yes I am a dork.
2. BLOG! Seriously, blogging about all the stuff I want actually helps. I’m able to share what’s currently caught my eye and hopefully you all will buy the stuff so I can’t!
3. Fab.com! With Fab, you can gain enough credits that you don’t really need to pay for anything besides shipping. Through referrals and my referrals actually buying things, I’ve accumulated $185 and purchased over 16 different things including tshirts, prints, gifts, and magazine subscriptions.
4. When I do finally save up for something on my wishlist, I usually turn to Amazon or Etsy. Amazon is great for things like books, 35 mm film, or household appliances. For everything else, Etsy has my #1 vote. Shops like SheTigerVintage and Pamplemouss offer vintage and handmade loveliness to set you apart from everyone else. Shopping local is also key. Support your community.

I’m excited to be bringing back the MEET series! I have a wonderful list of amazing individuals that I’ll be introducing you to within the next few months. Today I’d like you to meet Blaine Hogan. Blaine is an artist, actor, writer, producer, and  Creative Director at Willow Creek Community Church. His blog has been one of my staple reads for the past year and he recently released his book, UNTITLED. Enjoy the interview below:

1. While you were writing UNTITLED, what did you find most challenging about the creative process? The entirety of the book is about the hard work of making things and so as I wrote, I kept realizing how much of my own advice I was needing to take. The very fact that the book exists means that I had to try and apply all the principles I was talking about. It was humbling to say the least.

2. What art/artists (outside of writing) inspire you? I’m extremely moved by film and love Danny Boyle. Music is also a huge inspiration and lately I’ve been listening to a lot of Barcelona, Future of Forestry, Lia Ices, and Jon Hopkins.

3. What typically overlooked or mundane things/places inspire you? Cleaning my workspace I’ve found is a great centering technique. Now you can get carried away and use it to procrastinate (which I sometimes do), but when done well, cleaning my workspace simultaneously cleans my mind along with the area I’m about to do my work. Brewing coffee is another thing that inspires me. There is a richness and romanticism to knowing how long and how many steps there were to making this hot, steaming drink that somehow makes me have better ideas.

4. How long did the process of writing this book take? I’d been working on the content for the last 12 years as actor and artist through journals and notebooks. The writing of the actual book took about 6 months.

5. What kind of tools and software did you use? I used a few different tools. I started analog with all journals and notebooks. After wading through those mining for the best material and ideas I moved to Evernote. This is where I kept a running log of chapters and new ideas as they came to me. When I needed to free-write in a clean and clear space I’d open up Ommwriter. I then did the final layouts in Pages.

6. How has the self-promotional aspect been? Not bad, other than the stark realization that no one is going to promote your stuff for you. As an actor I learned pretty early on that if I didn’t look at promoting myself as a business I would never work. I think most artists struggle with this aspect of the work, but I know very few artists who make a living at being an artist without doing some form of self-promotion.

7. You’ve accomplished a lot (creatively). You’ve been an actor, auditioned for theater, you write, you’ve produced. How has this influenced your book and what’s inside? Thank you, Allie. Such a kind thing to say! Because I’ve been so fortunate to work in so many different mediums, I’m able to apply to principles from so many different aspects. My hope is that because of those many facets, anyone who makes anything can find UNTITLED meaningful.

8. How has your identity and core affected your process? I’m so glad you asked this! In fact, in all my interviews, no one has asked it. And in fact, I believe it’s the most important thing. Far too often we focus only on the product – the thing we make – without really taking much time to work on the producer. I’m of the opinion that our insides directly affect what we produce and that the best art comes from the inside, out. Knowing thyself is the THE KEY to making good art.