BEAUTY MUST-HAVES

LIFE LATELY IN ATLANTA

Happiest of Fridays, Dear Readers. It’s been a while since I’ve done a Life Lately post so I think it’s about time to sum up my recent days in a series of fun pictures and stories! This’ll be a short and sweet one. I’m starting it out with a picture of a genuine smile because sometimes I think it’s important just to look in the mirror (or the camera) and just give yourself some positive reinforcement. Wherever you are today, friend, you’re doing a-okay in my book.

Ria’s Bluebird has quickly become one of our weekend go-to breakfast places. Since we’re old, we rise early (why is it that I can’t sleep in as I get older?) and get there just in time for the first seating with all the screaming children throwing pancakes who have been up for at least 3 hours already. But really, if you get there any later than 9, you’re guaranteed to wait an hour at least. And the pancakes really are the best I’ve ever had. The NY Times was right!

Wylie Street and Krog Street bridge murals are my favorites for photos and strolls as the weather is turning to full-on spring here in Atlanta. There’s always at least 800 other fashion bloggers and up-and-coming bands shooting in front of all the awesome street art.  We live right near here, so if you ever make your way to Cabbagetown, you’ll recognize all my backdrops.

Do you ever buy yourself fresh flowers just because? It’s the best! I’ve started doing it a lot lately and it makes me so happy to having something alive and colorful in the kitchen when I wake up and when I come home from work in the afternoon.

Ever heard of Influenster? You can join and they’ll send you free products to try. This L’oreal Ever Pure Shampoo and Conditioner, and the Maybelline Collossal Big Shot Mascara and Master Precise Curvy Liner are my latest trials that I received complimentary. I love the mascara and the liner A LOT and use them everyday. I don’t love the shampoo and conditioner that much. Part of that is because the texture of my hair has totally changed recently. I used to have super-curly hair that I never had to wash, and now it’s oily and limp. Actually the picture at the top of this post is a perfect example of how my hair dries most days now. HORMONES ARE AWESOME…Anyhoo, this L’oreal stuff is supposed to add volume without harsh chemicals, but I actually felt it left my hair a little filmy. Not recommending that to you, folks. But I do think you’ll really like the mascara and liner if you’re in the market for new ones. Application is super-easy.

It’s Easter candy time!!! Confession – every year at Easter, I buy myself one bag of Brach’s jelly beans and one bag of Cadbury mini eggs and each day I give myself a massive serving of each until the bags are gone. Then that’s it. No more easter candy. They are unquestionably the 2 best Easter candies ever, and one must not deprive herself of life’s little joys.

Hope you’re not creeped out by this picture of a grave, but I really do spend a lot of time in Oakland Cemetery here in Atlanta. If you read my Go on a Picnic post, you saw that we hang out here pretty often since it’s one of the city’s biggest and most beautiful parks and green spaces. This is a pic from a walk my sister and I took there on a Sunday morning recently. We thought this angel statue was just so lovely and peaceful. That smoke stack way in the background is actually where I live – in an old cotton mill!

And finally, I’ve made it to Day 8 of my March Writing Challenge to write 5 days per week! It has been a lot of work to write a blog daily – I half love it and half hate it. BUT, I’ve got some really exciting new partnerships that I get to announce next week, so there will be plenty of new posts to share! I sure hope you each have a wonderful weekend. Don’t forget to take a minute to smile!