Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Summer Love

Hello all!
I believe I missed my blog birthday last week.....the blog has not been a priority this summer. Anyways--happy belated blog birthday to me!

I realize I have not posted about beauty or fashion items for a very long time....so I am dedicating this post to some beauty products (and beyond) that I am loving this summer.First off, I am obsessed with Balmain Ambre Gris, and I am working my way to Paris to get a full bottle. It smells crisp and warm to me. One of the main notes is Tubereuse, but it is very subtle, which is good because I am not a huge fan of Tubereuse. The cost to ship this bottle of goodness to the US from Paris is more than the actual bottle of perfume costs. No thanks--I will save my money for a plane ticket and pick it up myself--which I hope to do soon because this fragrance is gorgeous.Yum! This Guerlain Double Vanille is delicious. I am not a foody gourmand fragrance fan the majority of the time, but this vanille is special...it has something a little woody and tobacco-esque in the composistion to my nose. I am loving it this summer.On a recent visiti to
MAXINE SALON in Chicago, I picked up a few of the new Shu Uemura hair products and I have to say, I love them as much as my beloved Kerastase. My favorite out of the bunch is the Moisture Velvet Nourishing Treatment with Camellia Oil. This makes my unruly locks soft and glisteny....even in the Chicago summer humidity. I love it!Speaking of hair, I am LOVING Rihanna's new short do. I could never ever ever pull it off, and I guess most people couldn't, but I think it is gorgeous and so flattering to her beautiful face. I am also loving the new MAC Mineralize Blush in Gentle. It is the perfect color to brush lightly on your cheeks this summer. It has just enough iridescence to give a lovely, yet light glow. I have very fair skin, and it is even flattering on me. I am totally and completely obsessed with KIEHL'S new line of Superbly Restorative skin softeners. The salve pictured above has been my best friend this summer. I use it on all my dry skin areas, and it even makes my heels soft and supple. There is a body lotion and a body oil in this line too--I have them all and have used them every day this summer. They are all wonderful for dry summer skin.This TNS Recovery Complex is a new find for me this summer. I can thank my friend M for turning me onto this little bottle of magic. It makes my face so soft and smooth. I got mine at THE SKIN STORE but a lot of dermatologist's office carry it too. It is a little pricey, but I find it to be worth the money. I saw this Elliot Lucca Portia Shopper bag in a magazine and I fell in love. I purchased this in cognac brown, and it has been one of my favorite purchases this summer. I love that it has the long shoulder strap that attaches--which makes it perfect for summer travel. It is big and roomy and I love the structure. You can find Elliot Lucca bags at Nordstrom or ELLIOT LUCCA .


I am loving music by JOSHUA JAMES this summer too. This is the lovely M and me and Joshua at a recent concert in Chicago. He is so talented and his lyrics make me weep. He has one song in particular called "Lovers Without Love" and it is beautiful and sad.....but he also has a happy song called "The New Love Song" which is perfect for summer listening. All his songs are thoughtful and most have a message. He puts on a great live show, so if he is in your town, go out and see him.

Oh....So You Think You Can Dance--I am hook, line and sinker for this show. Obsessed does not even cover it. I plan my evening activities around this show. The talent on this show is incredible. Oh and I love the host, Cat Deely. She is catwalk material, but is an improv actress first. I love a pretty woman who rocks the improv. I am so thinking I am going to go see the Top Ten dancers when they go on tour across the country. I think I am going to ask Jamie from PARALLEL FIRST to be my date because she loves this show too, and she might be the only person as lame as me --I mean as cool as me -- to buy tickets to see a bunch of reality show dancers probably in a theater somewhere like Aurora.

Last but not least, I am obsessed with the fact that I AM GETTING A SONIC IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS. Anyone who knows me well (at least all my family and friends in Oklahoma) have heard me whine and complain that there are no Sonics anywhere near me. I have lamented this fact for years. My friend LeAnn used to mail me bottles of their special cherry syrup from Oklahoma so I could make homemade cherry limeades Sonic style. Well I do not need cherry syrup charity any more because soon I will pull in to the Sonic Drive IN and order my own Sonic Cherry Limeade like a proper Southern Lady. I cannot wait.

Anyone care to share any of their loves this summer? I would love to hear them.

Lovely day to all.

(photos property of Kiehl's, Guerlain (euro), News Parfums, Fox TV, Sonic, and MonkeyPosh LLC)

11 Comments:

Blogger violetnoir said...

Woman!

Well, I love you, and I love Chicago!

Loving my new shoes (you know the ones) that I would have only bought in black. :):)

Love Annick Goutal fragrances this summer, especially Neroli (you blogged about it last year) and Chevrefueuille.

Love my new bathroom with the bubbly tub.

Love the Guerlain Vanille, too, but I wear it in cooler weather.

Love the way the Champaca smells on you, babe!

Love that purse you showed us.

And, I would love to try a Sonic, but I can't think of any that are near me. Their ads on TV are very cute/weird, know what I mean.

Hugs and more love! Happy Birthday to monkeyposh!

12:16 PM  
Blogger Jamie said...

Lame, cool, whatever - I would totally go see SYTYCD on Tour. HELLS YES.

Can we eat at Sonic afterwards? ;) I love me some Sonic.

2:26 PM  
Blogger MISS S said...

First and foremost, happy belated birthday to monkeyposh! As I said on your machine earlier (I probably pick up majority of your answering machine tape, sorry, LOL!) I am so happy for you about the Sonic! I am really enjoying their lemonade slushies this summer. I will have to be on the lookout or Joshua James music.

You asked for my other enjoyment summer: I have fell in love with Dove-go fresh deodorant! It is a energizing grapefruit and lemongrass scent. I had always gotten the baby powder scent before but decided to try and will never go back. It comes in body wash and a body mist spray too! I have also enjoyed using Sun In on my hair. It really lightens it up and helps to blend in the Grey! I am always getting compliments on it. Something else I have been using this summer is Loreal Bronze. It is to give you a natural looking tan. They are like little napkins and you just wipe them all over your body.

Much love and many hugs.

3:02 PM  
Blogger Gretchen said...

Jen!
Congrats on the Sonic!!!!

Hope all is well!
xoxo
Gretchen

5:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh I love the Amber Gris, but I do not feel Amber nor gray with it.
I must try the Shu Uemura hair stuff and the TNS Recovery.

I clicked on the Joshua James link and heard some of his stuff, he is really good. Folksy but yet soft and not twangy. I like it.
Thank God Sonic is moving your direction. Happy tot eating!

7:39 PM  
Blogger Patricia Perry said...

Congrats on another blog birthday!

OK, I am totally making a trip to your "neck of the woods" for a Sonic meal. Everything on their commercials always looks so tasty.

Things I am loving this summer:

-Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer
-Stila's Marrakech eye shadow quad
-Coldplay's "viva La Vida"
-The red patent leather flip-flops I scored for $7.50 on clearance at Chico's
-The pearl-based facial wash and moisturizer I bought at a tourist trinket store in Beijing (it's actually great stuff!)

7:45 AM  
Blogger Parisjasmal said...

**Dearest R-
Much love back at you! Woman--I know you are loving your shoes. They are so "sexy French rock star". As I said earlier, I see you all decked out in those shoes.
I love Annick Goutal too--you have me wanting Duel bad. Chevrefueuille and Neroli are 2 of my faves.
I can see where the Guerlain Vanille would be better suited for cooler weather, but I am obsessed with it.
Do tell about your new bathroom!!!
Yes, the Sonic ads are quirky.
Thanks for the birthday wishes.
Big hugs to you!!!!

*Hello Jamie,
Lets totally do it. And for sure we will hit up Sonic for happy hour--half price burgers!
Did you eat there when you lived in Tennessee? It was Tenn wasn't it?

**Hola Miss S-
Thanks for the birthday wishes. I will explain to you about the phone issues when I talk to you. I will try to call you today or tomorrow. and YES you do use up too much answering machine tape!!!
OOOh I have not tried the new Dove stuff of which you speak. Is it in a yellow container? I think I have seen it in the store, but I have never tried it. I am glad you are still loving your Sun In...I still do not believe you have gray hair.
You must tell me all about the Loreal Bronze wipes. Interesting.
Big love to you!

*Hello Gretchen!!!
Thanks so much. I remember whining to you about my lack of Sonics! I hope you and your beautiful family are doing wonderful.
xo

**Hello Lemon Cookie,
I am not sure if I feel Amber or Grey with it either. Those 2 words would not be the first descriptors to come to mind when talking about Amber Gris. All I know is I want to go to Paris and buy a bottle....NOW!
Lovely day to you.

*Pat-
Thanks for the blog birthday wishes.
Sonic is indeed tasty. Hopefully they will build one out your direction soon so you can taste the fine culinary selections they have.
Thanks for sharing your list of loves this summer. I am so interested in your Pearl based stuff from China.....can I order it on the internet?
I agree with you on Coldplay....mmmmmmm Chris Martin--love him and adore his music.
Hooray for Stila and Balm and hooray for red patent shoe on sale....you whore.
HA!

xo

11:32 AM  
Blogger Patricia Perry said...

My Chinese pearl skin care products are by Simengdi - they don't seem to be easily available online, but the moisturizer is on Ebay right now (http://cgi.ebay.com/100-Natural-SIMENGDI-BIO-GOLD-Free-SH-Available_W0QQitemZ130240393465QQihZ003QQcategoryZ33164QQtcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem).

6:47 AM  
Blogger Swirl Girl said...

Sonic ads are bizarre... but Sonic is the greatest! And... ours sell their ice, so maybe yours will too! Sonic ice rawks. It rawks more if you have a cherry syrup & coke on it.... but ya know...

I love that blush. I might have to try it. I'm trying new makeup lately. I dont know what my skin tone is or what looks good. I probably look like Bozo... but whatev.

Well, since you asked -- i'm loving not much this summer. I'm loving that it is raining right now, because my yard is brown. I'm a terrible gardener and get hot even going out to water my yard, so hence-i've killed all things living.

I am loving Sonic happy hour 2-4 pm every day -- half price drinks. Yip Yip.

I am loving not having to get up early.

I am loving that taking the kids swimming a few times a week has given me a healthy-looking tan, without being overdone. I saw a lady there last friday that was the color of chocolate. No lie. And, she was originally a white woman. seriously! ewww it was not cute.

10:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OMG Joshua James!! Thank you so much for the tip- he's playing in LA next week and I am SO going!!

He sounds like a mix between Joshua Radin and Brett Dennen. SO up my alley... Thanks!!!

11:43 PM  
Blogger k said...

joshua james is new to me but since i'm always on the lookout for new music, and we usually have similar taste as i recall, i will look for his stuff. lately i'm into another james singer/songwriter- brendan james.

love all your product recommendations. that shu uemera (sp?!) hair stuff sounds great. anything with the word "nourishing" piques my interest. i'm newly brunette, and while i love the color, i think maybe my colorist did it too harshly. i'm losing more strands than i'd like in the shower! maybe i just need to up my vitamin intake!

i found THE BEST body scrub. it's asquith & somerset, from england, in citrus ginger. perfect consistency. very exfoliating but also very moisturizing.

8:40 AM  

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