RVa Pollen Bomb

I always have such a love/hate relationship with the spring.  This week for instance, I have been relishing in the warmer, sunny weather we've been having, but all the while suffering immensely from the annual pollen bomb it brings with it.  Even after having my daily dose of Zyrtec and my nightly dose of Benadryl, by mid-day I find myself being overcome by an overwhelming allergy coma that leads me to demonstrate zombie-like behaviors with an attention span of gnat for the rest of the day and it seems to keep getting continually worse.  Richmond being the named the 'Asthma Capital of the Country' for the second year in a row and #8 in the country for the worst allergies probably doesn't help my situation very much.   I'm zoning out on files at work, finding myself staring at random things, and probably shouldn't be behind the wheel of a vehicle in good conscious.  Everything outside is yellow from window sills to sidewalks are covered with spring residue.  THIS is what our car looks like (can you see it under that lovely thick yellow film?),

and THIS is what the ground beside the car (and the sidewalk) look like.

Gross.

Along with all of this nonsense, it's of course the time of year to pot herbs for the summer and get the back patio ready for Easter weekend and the brutal summer months ahead, which means I am, or course, going to drag myself outside in the middle of toxic fallout this weekend in order to surround myself with more flowering plants in pots.  Since I don't own a hazmat suit, don't be surprised if you don't hear from me for at least a week afterwards.

I suppose it wouldn't be fair to leave you with only the downside of this picture.  I mean, there is a reason that all of this pollen is flying around right now, and as much as I grumble about all of its unpleasant excrement, I can't help but enjoy it when nature does all of its peacocking.  Here are some shots I got while taking Olivia on a walk.

Tomorrow, I'll be sure to share what will probably be my last Audrey III update for the season!

Esprit D'Oscar, A Spirited New Take On A Classic

Well, it appears that the most recent installation of the Sephora Hot Now list of Vogue Influencer Network reviews has come to a close without us being given the opportunity to try out and learn more about the Tokidoki Soda Shop Tin or the new Diorshow 360 mascara.  So sad.  No need to fret though, as Vogue has provided us with a preview of a brand spanking new fragrance, Esprit d'Oscar, and a behind the scenes look at the feedback received on it at their Fall 2011 Fashion Week show.  Let's have a look at it now, shall we?

Please push the 'Play' button below to begin viewing. 

If that didn't quite sum it up for you, then you're in luck because I received a lovely sample bottle of this gorgeous scent for my own little non-supermodel self to try from the Vogue Influencers Network.

As a preface, I should let you know that once upon a lifetime in a faraway town, I enjoyed a bottle of the original Oscar fragrance and l-o-v-e-d it. If memory serves, it was actually my first 'real' bottle of 'eau de anything' so I was probably impressed as much by the fact that it did not come from the drugstore aisle with the Debbie Gibson 'Electric Youth' spray, as I was with the actual scent. I do, however, remember how it was not overpowering or harsh, did not smell like gross Electric anything, and that it lingered with a glamourous scent reminding me subtly throughout the day that I smelled like a beautiful dream of a delicate, sophisticated, gorgeous female even though I was most definitely in the less than sophisticated ugly duckling category. It's really amazing what a scent can do for one's self image. It's also pretty amazing what a scent can do for one's memory.

When I spritzed on some of the new Eau de Parfum, the familiar base notes took me right back to remembering how it made me feel so long ago - elegant, sophisticated, and luxurious. Then I also noticed what was different about the scent - it now seemed a bit lighter and more modern, still feminine and elegant, but more delicately floral and less musky than its predecessor. Every note in the new fragrance seems perfectly balanced, so that there isn't an overwhelming spicy, floral, fruity or musky aspect, but instead a wonderfully modern hybrid of the combination that will not only compliment multiple facets of a one's personality, but will also travel nicely from morning to night and office to evening engagements (something that I did not begin to consider or even comprehend years ago while wearing the original scent to carry out my oh-so-sophisticated Friday night 'mall stalking').

For me, it seems an almost timeless scent, and I certainly see it becoming a staple in my own fragrance wardrobe (hopefully with a body lotion to go with).  I never would have imagined that I would still relate to any version of a scent that I chose to wear nearly 20 years ago, but I suppose on some level we never lose that original spirit of self; we only build and improve upon it, and that is exactly what the new Esprit D'Oscar has successfully accomplished in my opinion.    You'll have to give it a sniff the next time you're strolling through the fragrance department, and let me know what you think!

PhotoHunt 260: Trees, and 'Audrey III', Part 2

For this week's PhotoHunt, I couldn't help but share a picture of some trees from the National Cherry Blossom Festival that happens every spring in Washington, DC at the Tidal Basin.  There are so many gorgeous blooms that it really is a spectacular site, and I highly recommend getting to at least once in your life if you can.  With the beautiful Jefferson Memorial across the water, and the trees dropping petals like spring snow in the breeze, it's at once ethereal, calming, and exciting - almost like stepping into another world.

Though not a tree (and not quite as breathtaking), I also thought I 'd take this opportunity to share with you the progress that our Lady Banks Rose,  'Audrey III' has made over the past few days.  If you're a little lost on this background story, check out my previous post here.

April 5

April 7

April 8

Looks like some birds have decided she makes for a perfect home.

Looking at all of those blooms just makes me smile.  I know it's a bit cheesy, but hopefully it will add a little smile to your day as well.  :)

Abracadabra! Peter Thomas Roth Laser-Free Resurfacer With Dragon's Blood

So really what is there to say about a product that has 'Dragon's Blood' as one of the primary active ingredients?  I mean, it's almost kind of a put-off to try using something on your body once you hear that it has any kind of blood in it, and the 'laser-free' description used to reassure you that this is a gentle serum is all but lost by conjuring up all sorts of images of fire-breathing dragons.  That brings us, of course, to the automatic leap of questioning the validity of  the product's claims, as you pause to realize that not only is there blood, but it's the blood of a mythical creature.  Right off the bat, we are faced with a product that seemingly calls to mind images of all sorts of unpleasantness - bloody dragons breathing fire on your skin to achieve imaginary results.  Right, so all I could do was assume that Peter Thomas Roth must have known a dragon-fighting wizard who shared a potion with him that was going to improve my skin - why ever else would wizards spend all of that time conjuring, if not to allow one access to the fountain of youth?!?

In my opinion, it's really difficult to provide true feedback on what a product does or doesn't do unless you have been using it for a month or more (or you have a horrible unfortunate reaction to it).  Because I didn't have the luxury of a lengthy turnaround time to provide you with my results, when I received my full-sized sample of the Laser-Free Resurfacer, compliments of Sephora through the Vogue Influencers Network, I decided that I would not only try this on my face, but would also do a trial on my hands so I would be able to examine my skin up close for anything that might look like a change.

The first thing you notice about this product is it's deep shade of red.  I'm told by the description, that this is from the Dragon's Blood, which in this case is actually a red resin that is derived from certain plants and not the life force behind the imaginary, scaled, fire-breathing beast that we have all grown so fond.

Once the serum is massaged in, the red color seems to blend right in to the skin, and if anything just adds the slightest hint of a sheer healthy tone.  There is also a mild fruit-like aroma to the serum that may or may not bother some, which seems to fade after a minute or two.  Aside from that, application was business as usual - no stinging, burning, or otherwise fantastical wizard-like abracadabra.

After using this for a little over two weeks, I certainly haven't turned into a toad, but I unfortunately don't have any results to share with you that I could capture on camera.  With the naked eye, I can tell you that  I am able to see a slight difference between my two hands, which is a little surprising as I had zero expectations given the short turnaround for usage.  The hand that I have been treating with the Resurfacer does appear to be more even-toned, holding moisture a LOT better, and seems less crepey.  I've also noticed that my pores do appear visibly smaller on the treated hand as well.

All in all, I would have to say to say to all of the wizards out there still trying to concoct a 'fountain of youth' potion that they are still in business when it boils down to finding something to provide the instant gratification for a youthful appearance (short of surgical procedures or a miracle).  If you're looking for something that does seem to provide subtle improvement over a period of time, and still sounds pretty cool too, then this little bottle of magic might just be for you.

April Showers Bring May Flowers, Right?

So a lot has happened over the past few days.  On the itemized list of 'blog-friendly' items: VCU lost to Butler Saturday night, then our television finally called it quits right after the game (with a house full of people no less), and the check engine light on the car is now glaring at us demanding some long needed attention (as in, it hasn't been serviced in several years and now I'm a little nervous about something going terribly wrong just when I don't need it to).  Not that any of these things are really life-changing issues, but it just seems that when it rains, it pours.  Oh, and it has literally been pouring off and on outside, which is not helping the state of the leaky ceiling/wall in the guest room.  Top it all off with this being the busy season for me at work (meaning that it penetrates every portion of my being in an excruciatingly not so good way), and my favorite handbag breaking last night, and you may be able to see why it's kind of been a challenge to see things in an positive, inspiring way over the past few days.  In all honesty, it's been a challenge just to get a good night's sleep.  Then yesterday, I noticed that it had finally started to happen ...

 ... our Lady Banks Rose has started to bloom!!!

When we moved into our house several years ago in late August, we had no idea what the massive vine thing climbing up the column on the the front of our house was, except that it was definitely a high maintenance life form.  There was nothing but plain, green, leafy chaos - no fragrance, no real visual appeal, and an extreme tendency for rapid growth.  Even with an almost weekly grooming this thing started taking over our entire porch with it's tentacle-like vines reaching above the roof of the porch as well as over to our front door; smacking against the window panes as if it were demanding entrance.  When the sun caught it just right, it would cast shadows into the foyer of our house that looked like this swaggering beast just outside the door reaching with it's multiple arms inside to swallow us whole.  Maybe it was because of seeing this one day that it put my in mind of the plant from the 'Little Shop of Horrors', Audrey II -- you know, the one that grows insanely out-of-control and turns into a monster that starts eating people.

 Well, whether it was due to all of the grooming that this thing needed (with no particular payoff that we knew of at that point), or maybe it was the fact that it really did look like a monster plant, I decided to christen her 'The Audrey III'.

Audrey III kept on growing and becoming such a nuisance that after a few months of this, we actually discussed cutting her down.  I mean, she was really a lot of work for what appeared to be nothing, and she was covering a nice column that I'm certain could use some paint.  At the time, with fall coming we decided to put off a final decision until the spring when the regular yard work would occur, and just let it drop for a few months as 'Audrey III' seemed to go into a winter hibernation.

When the following spring arrived, we were again reminded of what a pain 'our little Audrey III' was going to be.  She  had started to exhibit new light green growth, and we weren't sure we were ready for the upkeep and hassle to follow.  Fortunately for us, between the spring rain and having to focus on other life issues, we let Audrey III run her natural course without any stress or attempt to change things on our part, and whoa what an outcome!  This seemingly pointless exercise in what appeared to be futile upkeep turned into one of the most beautiful displays of spring blooms that I have ever seen.  She only blooms once a year, and is a lot of work to keep from being unruly the rest of the time, but wow what a show she puts on for a week or two every spring.

As you can tell, even though she's a mess most of the year, she's our mess, and once a year she really makes all of the fuss totally worth it (though I cannot say the same of our Crepe Myrtle trees - totally not worth it).  We'd never dream of getting rid of her - even if we do still lose patience and trim her pretty short sometimes.  With everything else that has happened the past couple of days, her timing seems especially nice.  Her new blooms have reminded me that even though it may seem like you're in the middle of a pile of poo spring shower that seems unmanageable under the circumstances, and life seems like a pointless exercise in futility; most types of organic fertilizer precipitation are eventually followed by the wonderful blooms that make stepping in it going through it all worthwhile - even if it's just for a short time.

I can't wait to see her in full bloom in the next few days, and look forward to sharing the best part of the whole Audrey III experience with you - the pictures!

Drink of the Moment: VCU Three Point Shooter

So tomorrow's the big game, and I know there are going to be a LOT of big parties here in the RIC.  Since I'm planning on having a houseful myself, I figured I should come up with a little hometown school "spirit" to get everyone in gear to celebrate as the VCU RAMS cream take on Butler tomorrow.  As some of you know from 'My Favorite Five: March' post, I was already feeling a little inspired by my school's rise to the top, so this week's 'Drink of the Moment' couldn't be anything but Black and Yellow Baby!

VCU Three Point Shooter


1 part Creme de Banana
1 part Cruzan Black Strap Rum
1/2 to 1 part Rumchata


Slowly pour each of the above into your preferred serving glass in the order listed above.   Take care not to disturb the previous layer by using a spoon or layering tool to create 3 distinct layers.  Drink as you deem appropriate throughout the game. 


So the drink in the picture came out a little less than perfect, and it's apparent that I really need to pick up some appropriate barware, but in the interest of time, I decided to forego perfection and share the love.  Gooooooooo  RAMS!!!

Beauty and the Beach: Couture Color Pequi Oil Hair Treatment

Ahhhh ... the warm sunshine, the gentle breeze, the sound of the surf, and the light scent of coconut wafting to meet you as you breathe deep to take it all in.  Maybe I've been a little 'vacation challenged' the past few, but that was my first impression of the 'Couture Color Pequi Oil Hair Treatment' sample bottle I received from the Sephora Hot Now List (courtesy of the Vogue Influencer Network) before even using it on my hair.  I'm assuming it was the Pequi fruit that I was smelling and not coconuts.  Though on second thought, maybe not - does anyone out there know what a Pequi fruit smells like?  At any rate whatever I am actually smelling comes across as coconut-y, which always makes me think of sunblock or tanning oil and a beach.  A private tropical beach ... with white sand, crystal clear water, and les garcons bringing me fruity drinks ... while a I relax the day away under a large umbrella with a mysterious floppy hat and large sunglasses on.  Oh, those were the days (just humor me here a little bit and let me have my dramatic moment of longing, thank you).

Anyway, I digress.  I suppose the one thing to keep in mind about this tropical smelling hair oil, is that it is not a styling product, but is in fact, a hair TREATMENT (as in, what you probably think I need to look into after going on and on above about far away beaches).  Though I read the label on the bottle and everything on the box it came in, I think somewhere in the back of my mind I was still expecting a styling product, and because of this, was initially a little lost as to what affect it was supposed to have had on my hair after the first use.  After grappling with this problem for a few, I then realized the real deal and noticed what it actually does for my hair instead of what it wasn't doing.

I have been using one of those hair serums that smooths, seals, and makes all things shiny, but also has a tendency to work as a light styling aid as well (which I think is where I was drawing the comparison).  As far as I can tell, this old standby basically works as a 'hair band-aid' by covering up all of the damage instead of correcting it.  It also has a very specific usage amount that you must not go over if you don't want to look like a scraggly wet greased cat.  That said, the second thing I noticed about the Pequi Oil Treatment, was that it was super lightweight - I actually used it before shampoo, after shampoo, and before styling with no heavy greasy weighed-down outcome.  (As a side note, I tend to have fine, thick hair with a natural wave to it that I usually wash every other day.  I can push it one day longer if I need to, though it does start to get a little oily for me on that 3rd day).  Also, as advertised my mop was nice and soft and had a smooth healthy shine to it.  Though I still do feel the need for a touch of a finishing product out of habit, I don't know that I necessarily need one for my daytime style since my hair seems smooth without feeling greasy, soft, and with no visible split ends.  I also haven't noticed any product build-up at all to this point, which can be a problem with other oils or serums used for shine.  I'm interested to see how my 'naked' hair may or may not improve with continued use.

Overall, I think once I readjusted my expectations of what the product was supposed to do as a treatment and not as a styling tool, I am really enjoying the results.  It's also nice to know that my hair is being protected by the alcohol-free formula with antioxidants, Vitamins A&E, and proteins.  After the drying effects of the mid-atlantic winter, I'm sure my hair probably appreciates the pampering.  Actually, I'm sure after the torture we all put our hair through, there are a lot of reasons our locks could use a little extra pampering.  Do you know when I really think this would be perfect time to use though?  After a day at the beach ... a private tropical beach ... with white sand, crystal clear water, and les garcons bringing you fruity drinks.  Sigh.