Beauty Bar Sample Society's March Box of Goodies

Things have been a little crazy over here as I try to get ready and packed for Miami. Even though I managed to do some serious damage at the Banana outlet the other day,  I have been so busy and tired that I haven't had time to put together any exciting outfits with my haul yet. So nothing to report on that front, but I hope to change that once I get back from my little vacay!

In the meantime, I did get a little treat in the mail today and it is perfect timing. The best part about my Beauty Bar Sample Society subscription is that I get new perfect travel-sized products every month! Miami, here we come!

(Side Note: I got a new camera lens and took a photography class so I'm now officially addicted to photography. And f/1.8. Stay tuned for those posts!)

 

This month's samples:

 

Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Shampoo

I'm on a constant shampoo rotation so I always love getting shampoo samples.

 

Hollywood Fashion Tape

Who hasn't used this stuff? In Vegas it's essential as toothpaste. Am I right, ladies?

 

Butter London 3 Free Lacquer in Blagger

Crazy-colored nail polish is practically against my religion, but I was thinking of trying out navy blue this summer, so I might just have to give this one a shot. Wacky color or not, this is a full sized bottle that would cost as much as the whole box. How cool is that?

 

Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30

I use this exact moisturizer everyday so I already know it's awesome. Now I have it in a perfect carry-on size. It's like they read my mind.

 

Lashfood Nano-Peptide Natural Eyelash Conditioner

I actually think that lash conditioners work but haven't used one in a while. I'm excited to try this one and see if it lives up to the $80 price tag. I'll keep you posted.

Well, it's back to laundry and packing for me!

 

 

~ Sara

 

 

Hamburglar Fashion

Today I bring you a COMPLETE Pinterest rip-off in its full glory. Sometimes I wonder how I ever got dressed before Pinterest and fashion blogs. (The answer involves a lot of boot cut jeans and white sweaters, I know that much.)

  Anywhoo, back to my outfit which I l-o-v-e. Funny thing is that when I first saw this I hated it. Something about it screamed Hamburglar! to me.

Am I right or am I right?

However, when I realized I owned every piece to recreate the look, I figured I'd give it a shot. Good thing I did because I'm pleasantly surprised at how fun it is to wear. I've decided that wearing ANYTHING with these red pants automatically makes it my favorite outfit. 

Cardigan: Old Navy (Shop)

Top: LOFT (Similar, Similar)

Pants: Old Navy (Shop)

Shoes: Steve Madden (Similar, Similar)

Necklace & Bracelets: Forever 21 (Shop)

Watch: MK 

Happy hump day! Now stop reading blogs and get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather!

~ Sara

Daylight Savings (Skinny) Blues

I don't know about you, but this whole daylight savings thing has killed more than a few brain cells this year. I am draggin' a**, to say the least. So no clever, long-winded posts today, my friends. I'm keeping it short and sweet until I can steal a few more hours of sleep...and maybe even a few brain cells.

I'm super excited for my trip to Miami coming up in 2 weeks (!), but I'm less than enthused about my complete lack of a tan and dire clothing situation. It's been ages since I've had to think about shorts and sandals. I'm convinced they are buried so far in the recesses of my closet I will never find them again. So what's a girl to do? Shop, of course!

With images of beautiful, fashionable, tanned Cuban women in my head I headed to H&M to do some damage, only to find myself lost in racks and racks of clothes I imagine were used in Will's Smith's music video circa 1998. Not cool.

Long story short, I did not find a Miami wardrobe, but all was not lost. I have been on a hunt for a well-fitting white blazer (mine is a little big) and lo and behold H&M came through for me.

H&M - $49.95 (Sign up for email and get a 20% off coupon!)

Boring, I know (yet soooo classic and essential). So to jazz things up a bit I found a pair of  navy blue skinnies that I fell in love with. Gee, I wonder why...

And with that, I'm off to bed...

~ Sara

Pop O' Mint and Some Seriously Hot Wine

I snatched these mint heels up during the Sole Society 50% off sale and I'm pretty sure they're my favorite buy so far this year. I've been getting a little bored with my style lately and this pop of color is a perfect start to remedy that. 

I found this inspiration outfit (right) on Pinterest and used it as my guide. I'm not ready to dive into the deep end of the color pool just yet, so the simple black and white outfit was perfect. To dress it up a bit for the office (the shirt is pretty sheer), I added a tweed jacket. I took the pic of myself before my jewelry was on, but the gold really works well with the gold piping on the shoes. I wish I had some similar colored earrings to tie it all together. Hmm, looks like a shopping trip is in order!

Jacket: Banana Republic Factory (Similar, Love this one)

Shirt: Banana Republic Factory (Similar)

Pants: You guessed it! (Shop)

Shoes: Sole Society (In Red, Similar)

Necklace: Lia Sophia

Watch & Ring: Micheal Kors (Watch, Ring)


In other news, Brad & Angie have branched out into the wine world. I'm not really a fan of those two, but I am a fan of wine and who am I to discriminate against those who produce it? Reports are that the duo was very involved in the process as they own the French Chateau where it was made. Dubbed the "Miraval Rose 2012", their first wine is being sold at a surprisingly low $23 per bottle. Good luck getting your hands on it, though, as it was pretty much sold out in a few hours of its online release. There's a chance we could find it in restaurants in the near future, so if I happen to come across it you'll be the first to know.

 Have a great weekend!

~ Sara

Best (Rainy Day) Intentions

I woke up yesterday morning to urgent, panicked news reports of the end of the world. We're talkin' Noah-style rain, blizzards, flooding, sleet, hail, you name it. Storm of the century, people!! 

So imagine my excitement when I got a chance to wear my adorable new herringbone rain boots (my favorite birthday present from my awesome sister)! I got all bundled up, even threw on my favorite Burberry scarf (my favorite Xmas present, also from my amazing sister) and I was ready to brave the elements. 

Boy, did I feel like a moron after an entire of day of nearly clear skies without a drop of rain and here I was, trudging around the office in rain boots. Sigh....

Oh well, at least I got to try out a comfy, adorable outfit in rehearsal for an actual rainy day. 

PS - Here's a perfect example of how an outfit looks SO much better in the abstract than it does on me...

Trench: Banana Republic

Sweater: H&M (Similar, Similar)

Jeans: Banana Republic

Boots: Chooka (different than shown)

Scarf: Burberry

Watch: MK 

Bag: Michael Kors

PPS - After a year of having constant gel polish on my nails I'm giving them a break and letting them recover. Please excuse the man-hands, they look awful...

~ Sara

Behind the Cellar Door

Well, folks, it's official. Lodi's Wine & Chocolate Weekend has been one-up'd. 

While I will always love W&C and everything it stands for (hometown pride, bedazzled shirts and all), I have officially fallen even more in love with Amador County wine and its amazing event, Behind the Cellar Door. 

First thing's first...outfit!

That's us girls!

A few of us gals (that's us and here's what I wore) - and one very patient designated driver - embarked on our journey up the foothills to Amador County and had fun day filled with a ton of really nice wine and even more delicious food.  

How do I love thee, BTCD? Let me count the ways:

1) The Crowds (or lack thereof). Forget the idea of being crammed into a tiny tasting room trying to fight your way up to the bar for a taste. This event is not nearly as crowded as some others. Everywhere we went there were a decent amount of people, enough to give a sense of vibrancy and energy to the event - but not Vegas nightclub-esqe crowds to contend with, thank goodness.

2) The Wine. Even though this should be the focus of wine events, often it gets buried under all the other hoopla. Not here. It is very rare to find bad wine in Amador and this event is no exception. At each location I found myself more and more enthralled with the quality of the wines, impressed by the amount (no abbreviated tasting menus here, careful!) and also by the variety. A Vranac from Macedonia? Why, sure!

3) The Food. We're not talking Ritz crackers and spray cheese here. This event is very focused on food and each location features literally an entire meal. Even if you're not that into wine this event is worth attending if only for the edible offerings. This is a huge plus for DDs!

4) The Views. The hills of Sutter Creek and Plymouth are absolutely gorgeous and provide a picture perfect backdrop for this event. Almost every winery is situated in the middle of a beautiful landscape, and the best part of it all is that it totally reminds me of Tuscany. With a glass in your hand a a full belly you can almost trick yourself into thinking that's where you are.

OK, so here's a quick rundown  of the wineries we visited on this trip. I recommend them all, but found a new one that I'm now totally obsessed with.

 Avio Vineyards

  Highlights: Superfriendly staff and owners. Beautiful Tuscan-themed tasting room with a little western charm mixed in. Raspberry champagne!

Best Wine: "Barbed Wire Red": A bright and fruity red blend for everyday drinking.

Food:  Tuscan stew with polenta and "Zinful" brownies

  Sierra Ridge Winery

  Highlights: Gorgeous view, friendly staff, large covered deck

Best Wine: Barrel tasting of their Vranac, a grape from Macedonia. Since it was young it was very fruity and tannic. We also tried the bottled Vranac which had mellowed and deepened but was more round and full.

Food:  Homemade ravioli with homemade pesto, salad, bread and mini cupcakes. 

Feist Wines

  Highlights: Besides everything? A quaint winery housed in a Gold Rush era building in little Amador City (the smallest incorporated town in CA!). Adorable rustic-chic tasting room, art, tipsy staff and a honky-tonk band! What a find!!

Best Wine: Viognier. Medium-bodied with green apple and floral notes. Love!

Food: Smoked sausages and chicken with salsa verde and gourmet cheeses.

Wilderotter Vineyards

   

Highlights: Every wine is amazing, especially the whites. Cute Tuscan-looking building and grounds. Sam, our entertaining, beer-drinking host!

Best Wine: Too hard to choose just one. My favs are the Roussanne - a light, citrusy white and the Ambroisa - a Grenache/Tempranillo blend that is floraly and fruity.

Food: Grilled Poblano Rubbed Chicken Tacos with BBQ Onions & Slaw and a Red Garden Potato Salad - courtesy of Sam, the resident food guru! Best food of the day.

Vino Noceto

 

Highlights: Large tasting area, Italy theme, comparative tastings of local and foreign wines and a talented latin guitar player!

Best Wine: 2009 Misto Sangiovese - won best of show at Amador County fair!

Food: AMAZING crackers from nearby Andrae's bakery, tomato soup, flatbreads and desserts.

Cooper Vineyards

Highlights: Views from the back deck area, good wines all around, largefood spread.

Best Wine: I'm a sucker for their 2009 Barbera.

Food: Italian antipasto, marinated beef, salad, bread, desserts.

 

 and finally....

  Karmere Vineyards

Highlights: Best wine in the area, beautiful grounds, fun staff, resident dog and more. It's pretty much my happy place.

Best Wine: Julie Ann Barbera, Haley Zin, Peach Sparkling Wine. Not even funny how good these are.

Food: Chili and cornbread which was perfect for the end of the day.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this and that it inspires you to make the trip next year. I'm hesitant to spread the word too much since it's like my little secret, but since only about 4 people read this blog I think I'm safe. :)

Cheers!!

~ Sara

My Cone of Happiness is a Cone of Amador Wine

It's Friday, so I'll keep this short and sweet. And by sweet I mean awesome. 

Back by popular demand...Sheriff Rocky! As you can see, my attempt at recreating a hilarious meme was met with his typical disdain for all things humorous. 

Clearly he was not amused by his Cone of Happiness one bit. Poor guy needs to loosen up.

Told you it was going to be awesome. You know what else is awesome? Wine tasting! 

This weekend is another of my favorite wine events, Amador County's Behind the Cellar Door. It's a lot like Lodi's Wine & Chocolate Weekend which is probably why I love it so much. Wineries from the Plymouth area (GREAT wine in this area if you haven't tried it) feature special wines, barrel tastings and most importantly, good food! I believe this will be the third year I have attended this event and it has never failed to be absolutely fantastic. The thing I love about Amador wineries is that not only is the wine really good (LOVE the Barberas!) but everyone is super friendly and the experience is even less pretentious and more laid back than in Lodi, which is saying something. I'm really looking forward to this and also to posting about all the wineries, wines and food. Stay tuned!

It goes on on Saturday and Sunday and you can buy tickets a the Amador Vintners Visitors Center at 9310 Pacific St. in Plymouth. If you don't have any plans for the weekend you should try it out. Make sure to get a DD - you'll need it!  

Now if I could only think of what to wear.....

~ Sara