Adventures In Apartment Hunting

And so I went apartment hunting this past weekend.  I'm not quite sure if I'm ready to call where I presently am "home", but figured I would at least learn the lay of the land and see what the area has to offer.  I kept my search primarily in the heart of the city, starting with this nicely staged one-bedroom located in the downtown area...

The kitchen was a cool size and I surely appreciated the stainless steel appliances, but the orange cabinets in the kitchen didn't really do it for me.  

The living room and bedroom were an adequate size and the decor, which I later learned was all from West Elm, was the perfect dressing for the somewhat small unit.

But it was the bright and airy master bath with its marble countertop and white, subway tiled shower that turned out to be the crown jewel of the unit, at least in my eyes.

We moved onto another unit in the building, this time a two-bedroom with dark, wood cabinets in the kitchen; however, the bathroom was the same style and layout.

But clearly it was the view of this loft-style unit that was the star.  Granted, it was a view of the traffic below and the various businesses planted across the street... but a view that funneled a lot of sunlight and energy into the apartment nonetheless.

Moving on, I went to see another unit at a different building - this one a legit high-rise - and where the first apartment building was nice and quiet with hardly a peep from the inhabitants, THIS one was bustling with restless natives milling about, loudly celebrating the weekend.  Dare I say that every floor was like trying to navigate your way through a frat house on a Saturday night?  Umm... yeah.

Anywho, the sales/leasing agent escorted me to one of their larger two-bedrooms.  It had a nice kitchen, complete with a glass tile backsplash...

a decent sized bedroom (even though I wasn't feelin' the carpet) with a really nice walk-in closet...

but I thought the bathroom sucked!  It's like they gave up on it and just stuck whatever tile and finishes in there without any regard to aesthetic cohesion.  I mean, for the money they're asking, I was expecting the "luxurious, high-rise living" they were selling to at least be extended to the bathroom, too.  Yikes!

But I guess where they skimped on the bathrooms they splurged on the rooftop, which is an awesome must-see for visitors and must-do for tenants; a certifiable playground of sorts, complete with barbecue area, lounge area and a killer access to panoramic views that put the entire breadth of the city's downtown on full display.

And then I moseyed on over to the more "industrial" pocket of downtown and took a look at some lofts there.  No stainless steel appliances, but the marble counters in the kitchen kept me going.

Another nicely staged two-bedroom and I must say that I was completely digging the look of the laminated, bleached "wood" flooring of the unit.

The bathroom was cool, but the walk-in closet was tremendous!  I mean, it was big, y'all!  Huge!  Very, very nice...

So, I got to see a lot of what the downtown area had to offer and I may venture out and see some more.  All in all, it was an extremely productive weekend with all the appointments I managed to wrangle and the day almost ended on a high note.  Almost, that is, until I picked my dog up from the groomers and found out that they had turned my lil' fluff-fluff into a fox looking creature with floppy ears.  His face was choppy and uneven and they cut his muzzle all the way down to just about nothing, even after I left them explicit instructions to the contrary.  But I'll spare you the entire rant and, instead, unload my grumblings over on Twitter.

But here?  Nothing but rainbows and sunshine over here.  Yep, nothing but rainbows and sunshine...

My Brushes: Eyes

I've been thinking about getting some more makeup brushes.  MAC, specifically, has me intrigued with their line of tools for the eyes.  Amassing a huge collection of brushes is totally not my intent (especially when I know that a proper two to four are all that's really needed for completing either eyes or face).  However, I'm looking to get some backups for my faves and try some comps from other brands.  So, I'm taking a quick inventory of what I've already got in my stash.  First up: eyes.

I have three brushes from Crown Brush: two blenders that I absolutely love and a pencil that I barely use.  I bought them a few years ago on a whim and I'm so glad I did!  Sturdy and true to their tasks, these brushes have proven to be solid additions to my tally of tools.  And they're nicely priced, too!

(L to R: C433, C412, C431)

Soft on the lid, but serious in its execution, the C433 is the perfect "double agent" as it works well as both a shader for all-over color on the lid and as a blender for softening harsh lines.

(Side view)

And I absolutely love the soft and long, relaxed bristles of Crown Brush's C412, using it religiously to apply and spread my preferred transition eyeshadow to the area above the crease of my eye.

I also have three brushes from Rock & Republic's now defunct makeup venture: a smudger, a flat shader and a tapered blender... the latter of which I use the most.  The craftsmanship of the brushes is clearly evident via sight as well as touch... each exuding a certain rock 'n' roll elegance that was inherent to its makeup branding.

(L to R: 206, 202, 203)

Next, I have two brushes from Sonia Kashuk: an eyeliner and a small domed crease brush.  Owning a Sonia Kashuk brush seems to be a rites of passage for those first embarking on their makeup journey and I can see why - they're totally affordable, work well and are readily available at your local Target store.

Now this fluffy blender from EcoTools is another one of my faves.  It came as a part of a set of brushes and when I tell you that it is super soft and feels like heaven on the eye, please believe it!  I mean, you barely feel it against your skin while using it and it blends like an absolute dream. 

Last, but not least, is a small shader from an off-brand I found at my local grocery store.  It was one of a few brushes I picked up and, unlike one of the blush brushes, it has held up pretty well.  I also must confess that I reach for this shader more often than any of my others, purely out of convenience and habit.  But it serves me well every time and is def another fave.

So, there you have it - my motley crew of eyeshadow brushes.  I can honestly say that all of them are pretty awesome in that they're well constructed and none have shed on me during use or after washing, ever!

And now that I've surveyed my stock of eye brushes, I guess I can determine what more I should add to the stash.  Like I said earlier, it will prolly be more backups and the like... but just a few.  I'm actually a bit more pressed to get more face brushes, which means that I'm due to take a tally of those soon, too.  And I will.  Very soon.  And when I do, I'll give y'all the full report.

Crown Brush is available via their website crownbrush.com; Sonia Kashuk is available at Target; EcoTools is available at various drugstores, including Target and Ulta.

In The Navy - 110R

Hey, guys!  If you're into navy and dark blue then, boy, have I got a triple threat for you!  It's another gem from one of my favorite brands.  I know you guys know me so well by now that I don't even have to say their name.  Besides, the pics say it all!  So let's get right to it, shall we?  If you can spare a few, I'd love to bend your ear on another superb shadow from Inglot - #110R.

Inglot 110R is from their range of Rainbow shadows where three shades of the same color are put into one eyeshadow pan.  110R is a trifecta of dark blue hues, with a deep navy being the darkest.  It has a matte finish and - just like many other offerings from their Freedom System lineup - is highly pigmented, has a nice, velvety texture and works well on the eye.

I just love what Inglot's Rainbow shadows bring to the table.  I mean, you could create a gradient look, from the lightest shade to the darkest, and map it across the lid... Or you could create a gorgeous, smoky eye and use the mid-tone shade to smooth it out... Or you could color block with any of the three.  One pan + three shades = a multitude of looks.  Not to mention you're essentially getting three eyeshadows for the price of one!  Three for one, y'all!  That's a huge bargain!

And we all know how Mama Dolce loves a bargain! 

Inglot 110R is available at Inglot boutiques as well as select Macy's stores, and retails for $9.

Date Night

OK, so I went out on a date this past weekend.  And it wasn't with Birthday Boy.  Nope.  It was with someone that I met through my family, so he seemed like a safe bet.  And, as it turns out, he was.  We went the traditional "dinner and a movie" route, which suited me just fine.  Clean cut and strait-laced, he was the knowledgeable guide to my semi-hapless tourist; both of us playing our roles with earnest conviction until the final curtain call when we bid each other adieu later that evening...

The night started out with a trip to one of my favorite restaurants.  Yes, that place.  Let's say it together, shall we: The Cheesecake Factory.  Yessss!  And what I ordered was my usual (I know, no surprise there, either): the Steak Diane and Salmon combo.  Yeah, no big whoop so I'll spare you the visuals of the meal since you've seen it before.  But what was unique about this dining experience was the row of lit palm trees and mini "waterfalls" that surrounded the mall where TCF was located -  an absolutely beautiful sight to behold... and definitely pic-worthy.

Next, we went to go see the X-Men movie at the Universal Studios movie theater.  If you've never been to this one (Orlando, FL) or the one in Los Angeles, CA, Universal Studios is a sprawling, movie-themed resort that offers everything from roller coasters to restaurants for the wide-eyed tourist to indulge in.  Yep, it's a pretty cool place to visit.

Now, such a vast entertainment complex requires a bit of foot power to get around and I'm so glad that I dress for the occasion, opting to wear my über-comfortable, pewter sandals with a pair of jeans.  Umm... and do you see the toes?  I told y'all Eclectic was going to get a workout this summer.  And this is just the beginning.  You just wait!

Inside the theater are huge, black and white banners showcasing a variety of movie stars, both past and present.  One of my faves was this one of Robert Redford.

And after having watched a sci-fi flick about mutants, we were met with the perfect footnote to the night as we observed a menacing, 1950s-style, space robot wreak havoc on a miniature golf course below during our exit.  A fitting nightcap, indeed.

So, I had a really good time on my date.  There was some laughter and good conversation, and the guy was nice, too.  Now, will we be going out again?  Hmm... I don't know.  I mean, I'm not against it or anything.  I guess we'll see.

And if I do end up going out with him again, you know I'm going to assign him a nickname, too.  You know, something fitting... something appropriate.  But we'll see if he even makes it that far.  Yep.  We shall see.