Dangerous Lady

Summer is quickly reaching its sunset, I know.  But seeing that I do not subscribe to seasonal dictates when it comes to a lot of things, especially makeup, I just could not resist taking a walk on the wild side and copping this beauty during my last trip to MAC.  She's bold, she's beautiful and definitely a shade to be reckoned with.  She's MAC's Lady Danger and -  if you have a moment to spare - I'd love to tell you a little bit about her.

Lady Danger is described as a "vivid, bright coral-red" and is part of MAC's permanent lineup of lipsticks.  It is a glorious orange-red that glides on the lips during application and feels comfortably soft and non-drying in spite of it being a matte.  Lady is laced with a light vanilla scent, which is signature to all of MAC's lipsticks, and wore well all day on me without budging or much fading even after eating.  #LOVE!

 

So, there you have it -  the latest addition to my orange/red collection of lippies.  I really do find wearing lively shades such as this so much fun and an instant mood booster to boot.  It's a sure-fire ticket to getting noticed while shaking off the doldrums of "everyday" makeup.   And I'll be rockin' this summer-worthy shade all throughout the fall and well into winter.  But you already knew that, right?  Right.

Yep, there's no need in me playing it safe with Lady Danger.  It's an ab fab lipstick that can solidly saunter through a myriad of seasons and I'm simply thrilled to have finally gotten my mitts on this lovely lass.

MAC Lady Danger is available at Macy's, Nordstrom and MAC boutique stores, and retails for $16.

Fancy Pants

Stepping up my undergarment game has been the sheer pursuit of pretty from the inside out.  Having already upgraded the top half, I decided to give the bottom half the same attention and treat myself to a pair of pretty pants.  Oh, I have plenty of panties of the cotton variety and other fabric persuasions, but nothing that would qualify as lingerie.  And so I decided to indulge.  (Hey, I was long overdue!)  I only bought two, though.  No big whoop.  But I still wanted to share.  So if you care to hear about the unmentionables I bought, I'd love to show 'n' tell you a little bit about the Rive Gauche Bikini by Chantelle.

Lavished in a delicate lace that fully adorns the front as well as a peek-a-boo panel in the back, the Rive Gauche Bikini is a gorgeous underpinning that adeptly serves up a well-balanced mix of both sexy and sweet.  In addition to its feminine frills, it also dons a petite bow with contrasting stitching on the waistband and a modesty pane underneath the lace to keep everything "undercover".  I found the fit to be very comfortable with no ride-ups or bunching to report.  In fact, I found the pair of panties so nice, I did it twice and bought one in the color Cappuccino and one in Deep Blue!  #WINNING!

So, there you have it - my brand new undercover cover-ups.  They're lacy, they're lovely... they're a bit of luxury for your bum.  And I'm lovin' them!  There's just something about the purchasing and wearing of new undies that makes you feel like a revamped woman.  I feel incredible.  New garments, new outlook, a new ME.  

Yep.  Just call me Ms. Fancy Pants.  Go ahead.  You have my permission...

Chantelle Intimates Rive Gauche Bikini is available at Nordstrom and retails for $32.

A New Search

A new city, a new search... fueled by a renewed motivation.  I've been a little more than preoccupied with finding a new residence so I continued my search and took a viewing of a townhouse, which was somewhat of a departure space-wise from the other units I had seen thus far due to the two-car garage affixed to the rear of the home.

The entrance/exit to the garage was right off the kitchen, which was filled with black appliances and tile flooring that was independent of the laminated wood that covered the rest of the downstairs living space.

Adjacent to the kitchen - and under the stairs - was a small, unadorned cubby that could be used as extra storage.

Upstairs, separated by the guest bathroom and a laundry nook in the hallway, was the master and second bedroom.  Both were nicely sized, had carpet flooring and both were equipped with walk-in closets with the master laying claim to the more generously sized of the two.

(Second bedroom)

(Second bedroom's closet)

(Master bedroom)

(Master bedroom's closet)

And so what's my verdict, you ask?  Well, the jury's still out on this one.  It's an overall nice size, has great closet space and the garage is a sure fire bonus... but something's missing.  I'm not quite sure what it is...  Perhaps it's the elusive "IT" factor I've been on the hunt for ever since the beginning of my search?  Maybe.  I mean, this unit was decent, but I dunno.  I'm not quite sure this is the "one", you know?

I feel encouraged, though, which is quite a 180 from my last apartment hunt post.  Some other things that I've been waiting on have finally settled in so I'm riding that wave of momentum all the way through the rest of my search, which I know is ending soon.

A new city, a new search... fueled by a renewed motivation.  I can see the finish line just on the horizon.   Things are coming together, y'all.  Slowly, but surely... things are finally coming together.

Enthralled By Enchanting

Hey, guys!  I am sooo relieved and overjoyed it's Friday that I could do a cartwheel (or two)!  And to celebrate the end of what has been a über hectic week for me, I just had to indulge in a tiny bit of retail therapy.  I didn't want to do any real damage... I just, you know, wanted to treat myself to a little something.  And treat myself, I did, to a lovely lacquer whose color immediately caught my eye.  I don't have anything even close to it in shade already in my collection, so I had to have it.  It's a gorgeous, summery number from Revlon called Enchanting.

Enchanting is a dreamy lilac that, upon closer inspection, appears to have somewhat of a pearl finish.  It is highly pigmented and applied smoothly without any hint of streaks or bubbles.  It dried pretty quickly, too, and only required to coats in order to gain sufficient opacity.  The color lasted on my nails for almost an entire week (around five days), which is about the going rate for polishes on my busy hands. 

This is such a pretty polish, guys.  I mean, I simply couldn't stop staring at my hands after I put it on.  It's such a fetching shade that just screams spring/summer while effortlessly exuding notes of playful femininity.   I love this lacquer!  And I'm so glad that I could find (and add) another Revlon gem to my ever growing nail polish collection.

Revlon Enchanting is available at Target, Walmart and beauty.com, and retails for around $4.99.

Apartment Hunting: The Last Hurrah

OK, so I took an appointment a few days ago to see yet another apartment complex.  There's no sense in me feigning interest so I'm just gonna get straight to the meat 'n' potatoes.  In fact, I'm going to run right through this one because it was pretty straight forward and (in the end) quite underwhelming.  And so begins this edition of my search for my next abode...

I went to see a bi-level loft just a little ways from the downtown area and it started off promising enough.  As soon as I walked through the door, the size of the main living space impressed me with its openness and updated kitchen - which included stainless steel appliances and a marble top island.

Towards the back were a set of doors that opened to a small patio that could comfortably fit two chairs and/or a petite BBQ grille.

And in addition to the powder room, a nice sized laundry suite completed the downstairs attractions.

Traveling upstairs revealed a narrow hallway that acted as the bridge between the master and second bedrooms.  Since the master was the one located at the top of the stairs, the sales agent and I started there.

 
Aaaannnd that's kinda where it ended for me, too.  The master bedroom was indeed a loft-style space with unique barn door "shutters" that you could slide open and close to monitor the amount of light allowed in the room.

The room was furnished with a decent bathroom that included a double sink...

BUT the master's closet was located INSIDE the bathroom, opposite the wall to the toilet!  I really shouldn't call it a closet because that term is somewhat misleading.  It was more like a nook with three shelves.  I mean, it was so small and dinky that the sales agent immediately - and without any prodding from me - started to explain how I could maximize the space by installing an additional hang bar across the top.  She did her best, but ultimately lost me at "install".

I took the few steps down the hallway to look at the second bedroom, which was also equipped with a modest and shallow closet, and that was pretty much it.  With that old, familiar feeling of disappointment quickly coursing though my body, I mustered a smile to serve as subtle subterfuge as I thanked the perky sales agent for her time and then skedaddled.

I have to tell y'all that I'm becoming quite disenchanted with this whole process.  I mean, it's never taken me this long to find a place - ever!  All of these misfires and close calls is seriously having me reevaluate my long term versus short term goal.  I mean, is this where I need to be city-wise or am I settling?  What do I really want; what's really in my heart?  Am I working out of faith or fear?  And am I sincerely listening to my own voice, which is the only one (besides God's) that matters in the grand scheme of things?

Or maybe I'm just simply tired.  Of what, you ask?  Of everything is my answer.  But I've got to end up somewhere.  And so my search will continue on... it must!  However, I am going to step back and fine tune some things so that I can get this train on the right track to finding the place where I belong.

Sweet Indulgence

Would you pay $24 dollars for a deodorant?  Sounds crazy, huh?  What if it derived from a popular designer fragrance line?  Still not biting, I see...  Well, before you call in the "white coats" to come and retrieve me, hear me out for a second.  I have a decadent dose of "smell good" that I want to share with you.  A little on the northern side of pricey, it's Donna Karan's Cashmere Mist Deodorant and I think it's totally awesome.

Just as flirty and just as delightful as all the other offerings bearing the fragrance's moniker, Cashmere Mist Deodorant is a solid anti-perspirant imbued with the same soft, powdery scent that's inherent to the line.  But don't let the pretty smell fool you; it also packs an effective punch in fighting off wetness and odor with the help of corn starch, vitamin E as well as other ingredients.

I've been rocking this anti/deo for awhile and it has never failed me.  I love the way it smells and truly appreciate its lasting power (as well as everyone around me, I'm sure!).  It is a solid, so sometimes I rub it in so that I don't get a lot of the underarm cakiness solids are notorious for.  But other than that... no issues.

Now, I have noticed that it has gone up in price and nearly fainted from sticker shock (it used to be $17!).  Price increase aside, if you're looking for an upgrade from the regular, run-of-the-mill, drugstore variety, enjoy the smell of soft scents and don't mind indulging every now and again then I think Cashmere Mist Deodorant is definitely a splurge-worthy item you should check out for yourself.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant is available at Sephora as well as Beauty.com, and retails for $24/1.7 oz.