maintaining my mane

August 30, 2011 2 Comments

At 29 my hair is the longest it has ever been in my life.  I’m not sure what took me so long to figure out longer hair is actually easier for me to maintain than any of the shorter cuts I’ve had which required more elbow grease, time and products.  As someone who doesn’t really enjoy going to the salon, I tend to put it off for as long as possible but when I do go I take comfort in knowing my stylist Jessie always delivers exactly what I want and offer’s great advice on keeping my hair from turning into straw between appointments.  I also try to help my stylist as much as possible by showing her pictures of long hair styles I like and learning how certain styles are cut so I know exactly what to ask for.  As for upkeep, now that my hair has achieved a new length I’ve started noticing more frizz and dryness than ever before at the ends.  While the ends are especially dry since they are the oldest, I’m wary about weighing my hair down with too much product so it was important to find the right fix that provides lightweight conditioning while keeping my daily routine as low maintenance as possible.

Bumble & Bumble is a brand I haven’t had much experience with but I decided to pick up a few of their specialty sprays to keep my long hair from looking lackluster.  I also picked up Moroccan Oil which I’ve always wanted to use because it makes your hair smell incredible but my shorter hair didn’t need the extra conditioning treatment.  I’m really enjoying all of these so far.

1.

2.

  

3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. BB Tonic is perfect for dry/course/colored hair as a detangler and moisturizer.
2. BB Shine On was recommended to be as a great finishing spray that offers tons of shine without the weight of a ton of product.
3.  Moroccan Oil is a great conditioning treatment for damp or wet hair to de-frizz and add moisture and it smells amazing.

At my most recent haircut, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and go for a little feathery flare.  Here are some before & after pics of my beachy-inspired locks as they go from feeling sun bleached and tattered to sleek and more manageable.

        

 xo,

Lauren

Filed under artLOVEfashion, Lovesit: Health & Beauty Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

fresh from the farm to my kitchen

August 25, 2011 1 Comment

There are few things I love more about summer than the variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available to make cooking a homemade meal even more special and enjoyable for me.  During the summer months, local farm stands pop up throughout downtown Boston offering everything from homemade pies and breads to organic herbs and produce.  Being able to pick up fresh items on my walk home everyday is such a treat I look forward to all year.  Buying fresh food throughout the week has such a European-style appeal and it makes deciding on a dinner menu a little more authentic when the meal depends on what’s available and looks good that day.  While still on a fish-kick after recently making some delicious Tilapia Po Boy sandwich’s I decided to pick out an exotic blend of tomatoes and squash to roast with the remaining Tilapia filet’s in my fridge.  After I roasted the veggies with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning, I included them as a side to this recipe by Bobby Flay for Grilled Tilapia with Lemon Butter, Capers and Orzo.  This recipe is really delicious and surprisingly easy- I would make this again with almost any fish- even shrimp or scallops would be a delicious substitute.  The lemon butter is also a great spread for other dinner items like corn on the cob or pastas. 

 

xo,

Lauren

Filed under artLOVEfashion, Love Tagged with , , , ,

an easy meal inspired by the big easy

August 23, 2011 Leave a comment

I love getting to visit my brother down in New Orleans.  No matter how many times I’ve been there, it never loses its appeal – it’s a special place I hope to return to many times to come.  From the quality of the live music, the strong and tasty drinks available at every turn and the unbelievable Cajun food which tastes better than I remember each time I go, New Orleans always leaves me wanting more.  The style of food in New Orleans is so unique and savory it instantly became a favorite of mine.  The exotic Creole and Cajun flavors of heavy seafood infused meals the city is famous for, like etouffee, gumbo, charbroiled oysters, jambalaya and po’ boy sandwiches leave me craving these savory dishes long after I’ve left.  One of my favorite Food Network personalities, Paula Deen recently featured her own her po’ boy recipe featuring broiled tilapia with homemade tartar sauce I couldn’t resist trying.  And to add my own twist and make it as authentic as possible, I added a few dashes of my go-to spice direct from New Orleans: Slap Ya Mama.  The result was a messy but extremely delicious po’ boy rivaling anything I’ve had in the Big Easy.  You can find her recipe here – Enjoy!

Here are three spices I rarely cook without- from pasta sauces, marinades and especially this po’  boy recipe, these exotic flavors make any meal really stand out.  While the middle spice, Tony Chachere’s Original Creole is available at most supermarkets, Slap Ya Mama and LA Cajun Seasoning are usually only found in the south so my brother always bring me a new stash every time he comes home.

The homemade tartar sauce really stood out in this meal- it’s so tasty I’m going to have to use this recipe anytime I need tartar sauce in the future.  Instead of sweet pickles, I used dill- and I almost doubled the amount called for since I liked the added crunchy texture.

xoxo,

Lauren

Filed under artLOVEfashion, Love Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

starting over: inspiration and style for a new space

August 15, 2011 Leave a comment

It’s been several weeks since we moved into our new apartment and I am still struggling to set it up and arrange everything the way I saw it coming together in my head (the other side of our bedroom is still a storage space for art.)  With more space and a very different layout than our last place, it’s been a challenge finding the ideal home for each piece of furniture, artwork and the decorations.  Although the apartment is in an extremely old building, the unit itself is newly renovated and offers my favorite combination of old and new, with an exposed brick wall providing ambiance and a nice pop of color that fairs well with my mostly neutral color palette.  With everything finally unpacked, I decided it would be best to find pictures of living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens I covet to help me design and furnish my new space.  While I sometimes have a hard time deciding on what furniture style or decorative items I like for a new space, I always know what I don’t like – and take it from there.  That being said, I would be totally lost if I didn’t have some inspiration for the overall look I am going for.  Here are some fabulous examples of gorgeous gender neutral/modern/rustic /sleek interior design styles I’m LOVING and drawing inspiration from as I work on making my home a home- and hopefully painting a charcoal grey accent wall in the bedroom in the process (an idea I stole from image # 3, below.)

(Images courtesy of Jessica Helgerson of Portland, Oregon and www.jenerationinteriors.com)

‘After’ photos of the new place to come…
xoxo,

Lauren

Filed under Art, artLOVEfashion, Love Tagged with , , , , , ,

lovesit: summer edition

August 2, 2011 Leave a comment

It’s been a few month’s since I’ve been able to contribute to artlovefashion.  Somewhere between apartment hunting, moving, interior decorating, countless weddings, summer holidays, local weekend getaways (like our trip to Block Island, above) and spending as much time outside as humanly possible, I’ve fallen behind…but my next few posts will be filled with items and ideas I’ve been working on for a few weeks now.  To start the ball rolling again I wanted to share with all of you my mid-summer obsessions.  Here are a few of my favorite things right now :)   Happy August everyone xoxo

1. It doesn’t get any easier than this- for perfect daytime, day-night or straight night-time glam this little compact has it all.  Just mix, blend and play until you arrive at your desired level of impact.

Sand Tortoise Shell Eye Palette

2. The prettiest, punchiest vibrant matte lip color I’ve ever encountered.  Instantly dresses up any outfit and it’s the perfect pop of color for my mostly neutral wardrobe.

 

3.  There’s no such thing as a streak-free self-tanner no matter how much you spend or what it promises- but with this little accessory you’re getting the closest natural glow possible without the streaks.

St. Tropez Applicator Mitt

4.  A wardrobe staple I can’t get enough of right now is my uber chic riding jacket in grey.  Personally I love this version of a grey blazer by Rag & Bone.  It’s the perfect throw-on for a cooler summer night and it looks so great with distressed jeans, jeggings, shorts or a dress.

 

5.  I love the beachy, tropical, sea-glass colored hues of this Ombre Wooden Bead Necklace by Danielle Stevens I recently purchased on sale.  It’s the perfect colorful accessory for your summer whites or favorite black maxi.

     

xoxo,

Lauren

Filed under artLOVEfashion, Fashion, Lovesit: Health & Beauty Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 77 other followers