weeklyroundup

Happy Father’s Day! Quick shout-out to all the dads out there, including my pop overseas in the Philippines and my father-in-law up in Redding. Hey, dads. 🙂

So yesterday, my brother had half jokingly mentioned that I should bring another shirt — for that Korean barbecue place in the city that we went to for his birthday. Because, he said, “after you leave, you smell like ‘the cue!'”

And we did. Yeah, I mean like the grill is right there in the center of the table, and it infused my hair and clothes with eau de cooking meat.

The meat-eaters in the group ate like fiends! Not gonna lie, though, it was a little challenging as a semi/fare-weather vegetarian. I had what’s called a bibimbap, or bee-bim bop, which is basically a big rice bowl filled with different veggies and an egg over easy, and this red sauce that tasted kinda spicy and plummy. Very yummy.

After dinner, we just strolled around Japantown, hung out a little bit more, and got ice cream-filled crepes for desert. I had the green tea flavor.

There was talk of karaoke…but my brother and his girlfriend had gotten massages earlier, so they were really sleepy. That plus the meat = coma.

It’s gonna be another hot one out here in Novato. I think it topped 100 yesterday. Tabs keeps nudging me to take him to the pool…

I think he just wants to show off his Dior sunglasses. 🙂

Simply Vera Vera Wang Transforming Shadow Duo

Clark’s Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint in Carlotta Pink

Desperately Seeking Shoes! A DSW Neon / Nude Shoe Adventure

Charlotte Ronson Starry Eyes Liquid Eyeshadows

By Terry Blush Veloute Sheer Cream Blush in Ginger Glaze

Essie Summer 2012 Bikini So Teeny Collection

Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Coralista, Dallas and Sugarbomb

Preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse With BCBG

Bobbi Brown Desert Twilight Collection

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

In space, no one can hear you scream…”Happy birthday!”

What?! Get a hold of yourself, Corporal Tabs. You’re aboard the Prometheus now. We have a certain standard of professionalism to uphold.

Aw, but, sir! It’s my friend Karen’s birthday weekend. She just turned 37, and I know that we’re all scientists and whatnot, except for that weird android dude, but I think the crew needs to let off some steam. We’re all pretty wired after that incident with the…well, you know the one.

I get it, Corporal. I do. I understand, but if the corporation finds out that we’re all having a big birthday party up here– Well, let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to be on the other end of that video call.

Understood, sir. I promise we’ll keep it down.

You do that, Corporal Tabs. You do that…

— Prometheus (scene was eventually cut from the film)

Morning! 🙂 I’ve been having a great birthday weekend so far. Thank you very, very much for your kind words and birthday wishes yesterday.

So, yesterday! We started with brunch with El Hub, my bro and his girlfriend in the city, then stopped to listen to a free concert downtown, and then spent a few minutes by the water at Crissy Field beach park right under the watchful gaze of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It was a beautiful sunny day, which you don’t always get in San Francisco, so it was extra nice.

Today, I really just want to go see Prometheus. That’s the only thing on my Sunday agenda. Aliens.

I hope you’re having a great weekend over there. What’s been the highlight so far?

MAC Beth Ditto Zoom Lash Mascara

The MAC Casual Colour Lip and Cheek Creams

MAC Beth Ditto Shade & Smoke Shadow / Liners

Cheeks Shine, Naturally, in Korres Cheek Butter in Chara Crimson

Outfit of the Day With Current / Elliott Crazy Pants

Skin Care Recs From a Bliss Spa Esthetician

New Beachy Keen Products at Sephora

Benefit Ultra Plush Gloss

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The following is an excerpt from an interview that did not appear in Cat Fancy magazine:

I can’t take all the credit, but yeah, I think I was the first person to use the term, “cat aquariums,” this way.

Before that, they were just regular fish aquariums for cats, ya know, to give them something interesting to look at, but then I came with the idea of building really big aquariums filled with cats for crazy cat ladies like me.

This one here is our bestseller. It’s called the Tabby 2000. It’s a 2,000-cubic-foot, lightweight plexiglass enclosure, complete with AstroTurf flooring, a 60-foot-long cat run and dual-cedar climbing trees for $390 (cats not included).

Very popular at birthday parties and farmers’ markets this year…

Oh, that one? That one over there is our portable model, the Micro-Mau. It’s designed for home use. As you can see, it’s about the size of a phone booth. Same AstroTurf flooring, a single cedar climbing tree with seven levels and a perch on top. Perfect for households with one or two cats.

If you’re interested, I can give you a great deal on a floor model. 🙂

Rise and shine, pal o’ mine. Good morning!

Hope all is well on your end of the keyboard. No complaints from here. I slept in a little, and now I’m just fooling around online (as you can see).

I had so much fun with the girls in the city yesterday. I got a nice medium-pressure massage at Bliss (turned out I wasn’t in the mood for deep-tissue) and then tea and yummy food at Samovar.

Not sure what I’m gonna do today. I cleaned the house yesterday before leaving, so I did most of my chores. I might try to go see Snow White and the Huntsman, but it’s such a nice day outside; I’d rather not spend it indoors.

We’ll see. Right now I’m going to take Tabs out for a quick walk. Be back soon. 🙂

Surf’s up! Or, where I’ve been, what I’ve watched and what I’ve been lemming lately

• Amazing summer foundations for oily skin — Atomic Beautè
• Can you spot the kittehs in these haunting illustrations? — Maude & Minet
• This manicure and accompanying makeup look are DOPE — Chalkboard Nails
• CUTE! I might have to welcome a sleeveless peplum top into my home before summer — Sydne Style
• If you’re curious about Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm — Beauty Junkies Unite
• Because you never know when you’ll feel like rocking milkmaid braids… — Beauty Banter
• Are acetone-free scented nail polish removers trending up? — Fear No Beauty
• Super pretty eye tutorial showing Sigma Beauty Products at work — From Head to Toe
• Tabs is always frontin’ and probably wouldn’t admit this himself, but he would totally hang out with these nine delightful library cats — Mental Floss

La vida está afuera.

I just looked up the word “summer” on dictionary.com and my computer started playing this song.

Now where’d I put my big hoops…?

Got this on repeat. Got this on repeat. Got this on repeat.

A MAC Unsung Hero: Iridescent Loose Powder in Golden Bronze

The LUSH Godiva Shampoo Bar Is Solid

The LORAC Wild for TANtalizer Collection

NYX Illuminating Bronzer: A $9 Time Machine?

Tocca Violette Eau de Parfum

LUSH Buffy Body Butter Bar

The MAC Beth Ditto and Casual Colour Collections

The NYX Spring Fling Palette for Eyes, Cheeks and Lips

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Seven seconds. That’s how long it would take you to enter this weekend’s $50 Sephora eGift card giveaway with a quick one-word comment like, “poop!” Incidentally, that’s one second less than it takes to win a rodeo. 🙂

Tut-tut, sailor! Time to swab the deck, etc. our starboard bow! And haul in the sails and whatnot, and so forth!

Yeah…I don’t know a lot about sailing. 🙂

Rise and shine, morning glory! I hope you’re having a good weekend so far.

I’m quite proud of myself. I did a lot of much-needed housecleaning yesterday, and I’m starting to feel better about the condition of the house. Still have an unfurnished dining room filled with cardboard boxes from the move here three years ago, but every little bit helps (keep me from completely losing my sh*t).

I’m not sure what’s on my agenda today… Maybe a drive up to wine country around lunchtime, just to get out of Dodge for a while.

What have you been up to? I hope there’s been some room for fun.

Surf’s up! Or, where I’ve been, what I’ve read and what I’ve been lemming lately

• MAC Nail Lacquer Swatches — Nail Art Junkie
• Tia Williams’ writing moves me. That is all. — Shake Your Beauty
• Marian Newman for Vogue Japan — British Beauty Blogger
• The forecast calls for clear skin, according to Philosophy — Sicka Than Average
• ***NOTE TO SELF*** Add MAC Touche Lustre to makeup bag ASAP — This That Beauty
• Thoughts have power: choose the good ones! — Purpose Fairy
• FYI, if you’re a married cat lady, resist the temptation to adopt that 550th cat — Jezebel
• 10 Things Lucky People Do Differently — Marc and Angel Hack Life

iPod magic!

The legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on what makes a great story

THANK YOU, MOM!

I. Can’t. Stop. Dancing!

My new favorite running song…

Yves Saint Laurent Majorelle Blue Waterproof Mascara

The MAC Hey, Sailor! Eyeshadows Are Anything But Boring

MAC Hey, Sailor! My, What Rich Lipsticks You Have

Swatches of Yves Saint Laurent and Laura Mercier Summer 2012

The Illamasqua Naked Strangers Collection

Summer From Tokidoki, Korres, Smashbox and Laura Mercier

MAC Extended Play Lash Mascara

The MAC Hey, Sailor! Pro Longwear Lip Pencils

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Just a quick note to say hi. 🙂 Hopefully, I’m on the last leg of the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco right now (I wrote this last night) and not still sleeping at home or passed out on a city sidewalk from fatigue.

(I better not still be asleep… If I am, I’m very sorry, Marisol!)

Bit o’ beauty from around the way…

• One of my favorite superheroes is getting the boot! — the re-boot. I hope the filmmakers nail it, and speaking of nails, OPI obviously had fun naming the colors in their new Amazing Spider-Man Collection — Nails and Noms
• Wow, one could get four of these $4 Maybelline Baby Lip Balms for the price of a single MAC Suntint (and they sound better, too) — My Weekend Ramblings
• Celebrating Donna Summer’s Best Disco Queen Moments — New York Magazine

And for anyone who needs/wants to work from the road (i.e. a road warrior)…

• When the power went out on Thursday, I was up in my office at home uploading pictures for a post, and I’d just finished the pics when the whole place went dark, lights, computer, every clock in the house. I hadn’t written anything yet, but I noticed that my phone still had power…

  I remembered seeing someone at a coffee shop use a regular Apple iMac wireless keyboard to type directly into their iPhone. Since both have Bluetooth, you can pair the keyboard to the phone (or an iPad). For bloggers, or anyone who needs/wants to take notes or write lengthy emails, it’s a good travel combination. Any Bluetooth keyboard should work. Just slip the keyboard, if it’s small enough, into a big purse or your book bag when you hit the road.

• Another road warrior tip for people who need access to the Net while they travel, or in my case, want a fallback Internet connection for power outages at home, there’s the Verizon MiFi Jetpack 4G Wireless Hotspot. They’re about the size of a cellphone and work like your wireless router at home, letting you surf the Net on your phone or computer over a Wifi connection, except using a carrier like Verizon, Sprint or AT&T.

  With the prepaid ones, you aren’t under a contract, and you only pay for the months you use. Oh, and the connection is more secure than free Wifi hotspots in public places like coffee shops and bookstores, where it’s possible to steal your passwords over the air.



• Just some of my favorite iPhone apps lately, and I hope you share your favorites too (please do!): the iOS Kindle app (FREE; Amazon.com just makes it so easy to buy books and get them on my phone), Dictionary (FREE; by FAR my favorite dictionary/thesaurus app on the iPhone), AP Stylebook (it’s expensive at $24.99, but if you’re familiar with the print AP Stylebook and like to write, it’s an invaluable tool), WordPress for iOS (the app I use to remotely blog) and the Netflix app (FREE; also available for Android phones; requires a $7.99/month Netflix subscription).

  About the Netflix app, don’t tell anyone I told you :), but it’s possible to share a single subscription between two different households, as long as they use the same Netflix login account (shh…).

Lips Luxe Dior Addict Lip Balm in Crystal Coral

Chanel Peche Cuivre Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil

Say Hey to the MAC Hey, Sailor! Lipglasses

MAC Hey, Sailor! Collection Pics and Swatches

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss Shines a Light on Lips

Neon Helps Nails Do the Bright Thing

My latest skincare crushes from Sephora

A Look at the MAC Hey, Sailor! Blushes

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Rise and shine, morning glory! 🙂 I hope you slept well. I’m heading out to the East Bay today to visit my family and wish Mom a happy Mother’s Day.

We’re taking her out to brunch, and then just hanging out at the house. My folks are leaving for a three-month trip to the Philippines soon, so this will be the last time I see them before they go.

It’ll be weird with them away for so long…not that I’m a 36-year-old woman or anything, LOL! No matter how old I get, I still feel like a kid whenever I talk about my parents.

On the home front, I’ve resolved, yet again, to finally decorate my dining room.

I know, I know, I’ve said that before, but things are starting to reach critical mass. We’ve been living here for three years, and I’m still staring at moving boxes. So over it!

El Hub has no absolutely home decorating skills or interest in the project whatsoever, and I’m not naturally good at home décor either, so it keeps getting put off.

Mark my words (oh, boy…), by the end of summer, it’s getting done!

I started by bookmarking a whole bunch of room pics I found on potterybarn.com last night. I never knew this before, but they have this neat online tool where you can browse for decorating ideas by style and room.

I think my style’s somewhere between “Mediterranean” and “Global Chic.”

They also have some decorating how-to articles and a room planner that looks pretty neat.

Inspiration. I sure could use some, so if you have any ideas, send ’em my way!

All kinds of inspiration, too. Not strictly home décor. Anything that gets your creative juices flowing, like this picture of 83-year old model Daphne Selfe does for me.

She’s been gracing runways and magazine spreads since the 1950s… Isn’t that incredible?

“I’ve never had anything done to my face,” Selfe recently told the Daily Mail. “Not that poison, not a face-lift. I think it’s a waste of money. Anyway, I couldn’t afford it!”

I was just checking out some of the pictures on makeup artist Troy Jensen’s website when I found her.

While I was there, I also drooled over this look he did on model Crystial Graham pairing blue mascara with a deep cherry lip stain and gloss, and bookmarked Makeup Makeovers in 5, 10, 15, 20 by makeup artist Robert Jones; photographer Veronique De Viguerie’s series, Women Around the World (be sure to turn on the captions to read the story behind the pics); and fashion photographer Melissa Rodwell’s very touching story (it made me cry) about losing her pet companion of 13 years, Lulu the dog.

On a lighter note, kittens! Have you heard? A litter of kittens was recently adopted by a Yorkie mom. And in other kitten news, did you know that there’s a a secret kitten ? Yup, it’s almost as enlightening as this gang of kittens discovering a tortoise for the very first time. 🙂

A few other things I’ve been using or thinking about lately…

• iCloud’s Find My Phone feature is beyond cool! I actually used it to find my iPhone this week, which I’d lost. Saw where it was on a map (it was at home; left it under a blanket). You can even remote lock, remote erase, and send messages to your phone from icloud.com. — icloud.com
• Evernote is like my day planner now. Best thing about it is that the phone app syncs with their website, so I can type long notes and lists quickly on the website using a regular keyboard that then appear automatically on my phone. I have to-do lists for home stuff, blogging stuff, trip planning, my grocery list, home furnishing ideas… Also, it’s totally free. — evernote.com (and various app stores)
• When I travel to the tropics, I like bringing a rugged waterproof camera with me, one that I can take swimming, snorkeling, hiking and kayaking. Not only can they take pics and video where regular cameras can’t, but they just make vacation more fun. I brought the Canon PowerShot D10 with me to Kauai last month (there’s also the brand new D20 now, which adds full HD video), and it did a great job. I used it for most of my outdoor pics. — Canon PowerShot D10

Smashbox Shades of Fame High Shine Lip Gloss Set

Milani Shadow Eyez 12HR Wear Eyeshadow Pencils

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Powders

Tips to Solve 5 Common Spring Beauty Bothers

Chanel Ombres Contrastes Duo in Sable-Emouvant

Outfit of the Day, Vol. 9: Romper Madness (Continued)

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in En Vogue

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Empriente

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Have a great day!

Supermoon! I’m so stoked. Last night’s supermoon was the first celestial special event I’ve seen in … I can’t remember how long. Whenever I hear about something like a meteor shower or a planet in perfect position to see with the naked eye, I get all excited, plan to stay up late, figure out when/where I’m supposed to be in my neighborhood to get a good look at it, but then I either forget, fall asleep early, or the clouds roll in to block my view!

Not last night though. It was a perfect confluence of astrological and earth-bound factors. The moon was big and bright and hard to miss. So beautiful.

I struggled a bit this week to get back into the swing of things, only because the week started with me having fun in the tropics. I think that means I had a really good time on vacation, because I wasn’t ready for it to end. I’m still doing that thing where you say, “This time last week I was [INSERT VACATION ACTIVITY HERE].” I mean, I like my office, but it’s not the quite the same as swimming in a tropical waterfall.

A few beauty (and otherwise random) posts that caught my eye this week…

• Get yer gradient nails! Here’s a pictorial tutorial — The Nailasaurus
• Trolls better watch out. 500 new fairytales have been discovered in Germany — The Guardian
• Loved this short lesson in perspective — The San Francisco Egotist
• Colorific brows — The Guilty Hyena
• Gotta get me some of this Sk:n Aloe Vera Gel — Let’s MakeYuUp
• This Avenging eye makeup is Marvel-ous — Makeup Your Jangsara
• Journalist and SF writer Cory Doctorow says a hypnotherapist helped him get over writer’s block — AdviceToWriters
• Deathly afraid of snakes, but these pictures are just so COOL! — but does it float
• 24 Best Travel Blogs and Websites — Fathom
• Spec-Tacular Makeup Tips For Eye Glass Wearers — JennySue Makeup

Oh, big news this weekend about recent makeup monster sightings, and a warning to be careful if there’s a fountain in front of your favorite mall…

Prodoctopus

Description: Prodoctopuses mostly lurk in big shopping center fountains and water elements, emerging from their depths during busy weekends, like during Macy’s and Sephora sales, when the crowds are bustling, and unassuming cosmetics shoppers are loaded down with new makeup and beauty products, which prodoctopuses consume for food.

Frequency: Rare
Speed: Medium
Armor Class: 7 (they regrow severed tentacles)
Special Attacks: Able to strike 8 times per round
Special Defenses: Underwater breathing; liquid mascara ink cloud
Intelligence: Medium
Alignment: Evil
Size: Large (20′ long, including tentacles)

Bumble and Bumble and a Boat Called Sea Breeze

MAC Unsung Heroes: Pink Poodle Lipglass

A Beginner’s Guide to the World of Color

7 Steps to a Perfect DIY Manicure

3 Easy Makeup Looks to Streamline Your Summer

Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lip Soothers

5 Wearable Orange Lipsticks for $13 or Less

Kauai, Day 5: Jungle Hikes, Kayaks and Ke’e Beach

This Summer, Tarte Comes Bearing Gifts From the Lipstick Tree

4 Easy DIY Skincare Recipes With Lemon

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

In Cat Bought a Zoo, a single 6-year-old tabby is going through a difficult time in his life. His kitty modeling career hits a snag when he loses a big job to an up-and-coming younger kitty. Tired and stressed, he quits, cashes out his life savings and buys a piece of property on the outskirts of town, which he decides to turn into a petting zoo/spa.

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a good family movie. It actually got an 85% on Rottentomatoes. 🙂

In other news, happy Sunday, friend. How’s it going over there? I’m sorry I’ve been so incommunicado in the comments lately. I’m trying to wrap up a couple of time-consuming projects, and I’m almost there. I have been reading everything, though, even when I haven’t had much time to reply.

No Makeup Monster sightings this week, so we’re safe for now, but you can bet they’re out there… Plotting… Waiting for their chance to strike.

It’s only a matter of time. It’s always only a matter of time.

A few beauty posts that caught my eye…

• A beautiful palette for beautiful eyes: the Josie Maran Argan Beautiful Eyes palette in Beautiful Purples — My Weekend Ramblings
• Out of this world! This purple, silver and black glitter feast for the eyes looks like a nebula on these nails — The Nailasaurus
• Croisette is a thoroughfare in Cannes. It’s also the name of this sunny, summery palette from Dior — Mostly Sunny
• Gotta get my hands (and cheeks) on RMK’s 15th anniversary cheek palettes fairy-ly soon — My Women Stuff
• Impromptu picnic time! — Oh Happy Day
• Accessorize blush in Quiver makes me want to take up archery — Bellachique
• Giorgio Armani Spring 2012: Giorgio Armani Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick in 600 — Glitter Geek
• Tabs needs an Adidas track suit just like this one, ideally in kelly green to match his eyes — Luxirare
• For the typography and/or Star Wars fans — H-57 The Force of Typography
• I think I need these simple reminder of happiness cards for my desk — The Happiness Cocktail

A MAC UNSUNG HERO: Prep + Prime Vibrancy Eye Primer

The NARS Ramatuelle Eyeshadow Trio

Glow in Your Gown With These Five Bridal Body Care Tips

With NARS Liberté Blush, Cheeks Have the Freedom to Rock

Lovin’ the Lips for NARS Summer 2012

Tom Ford’s New Long-Lasting Cream Color for Eyes

Outfit of the Day: Romper Room!

The Sheer, Sparkly Blue and Purple NARS Marie Galante Duo

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen