Favorite Things October

Clothes

Hanro sensual cami bra

I purchased one of these bras several years ago, and I just bought a second. 

They are expensive ($75), but the quality is amazing and when treated properly they last a long time – gotta love the Swiss.  You benefit from the support of an under-wire with the comfort of a camisole.  They are true to size, so if your regular bra size is 34B,  this will fit the same. They used to be available on BareNecessities.com, but lately I can only find them in multiple colors at Neiman Marcus.  And because I appreciate a good marketing writer, I had to include the description of Hanro on the web.  "With a 130-year history, the Switzerland-based company Hanro specializes in clever, stylish, and alluring underpinnings. Known for a superb fit and seamless design, this line blends trends with comfortable and highly practical style."  Underpinnings?  I can picture myself in the Four Seasons overlooking Lake Geneva, frolicking with my Swiss lover and in the heat of the moment he says, "Ah Darling, you are so magnificent, you must remove your underpinnings this instant!!"

While searching for this bra online to provide a photo, I ended up in the “daywear” sub section of Neiman Marcus lingerie.  Hmmm.  Daywear.  For me, daywear depends on what I am doing that day.  If I work out in the morning, then my gym clothes become daywear, if I have an appointment with a client, then I wear some office/work attire during the day.  If I’m sitting at my computer for 8 hours straight taking super boring real estate classes, I wear my pajamas.  It appears that “daywear” is garb for someone who has nothing to do during the day but choose an outfit they can lounge around in.  If I ever get to that point in life AND I can afford to buy clothing in the “daywear” category, this is what I picture myself in.

Joli

My friend Katherine just opened a fabulous boutique in SLC.  While the store space is small, the offerings are grand.  Katherine buys only the most beautiful, unique, and stylish women’s clothing, accessories, and jewelry for her clients.  There is a tasty little bistro next door, so grab a bite and do some shopping before the Holiday Season begins!  (1594 Stratford Ave, SLC just off the 1300 Sugarhouse exit) http://www.saltlakemagazine.com/blog/2012/09/shop-the-grand-opening-of-joli-boutique-in-sugarhouse/

Products

Dove Go Sleeveless deodorant

Deodorant, it seems, it like mascara these days.  The kind that I bought 3 months ago is no longer available.  Instead, there is a new and improved version that has cannibalized its sister product in the market.  Consequently,  I am forced to sample the Dove “Go Sleeveless” deodorant,  fully believing that this is just a new marketing ploy.  However, I have to say – since I started using it,  the hair under my arms grows more slowly and is very thin, so I don’t have to shave as often.  This could be a real break-through!  I’m going to try it on my legs next, then the bikini area, and perhaps even on my chin where those annoying hormonally infused hairs grow sporadically and seemingly right before big events.

CeraVe cleanser and facial lotion with spf

My dermatologist recommended this for my son who has some breakouts.  I figure what is good for the hormonally charged gander is good for the hormonally challenged mamma goose.    Both the cleanser and the lotion have hyaluronic acid, which is supposed to help skin retain moisture.  You can buy this at Walmart, Target and Amazon.

B&B products – The term B&B has been thrown around for a while and virtually every cosmetic company seems to be producing one of these B&B creations thus making it a commodity, but I do like the Loreal Youth Code lotion.  I mix it with the CeraVe moisturizer to get a bit of coverage without feeling overly made up.

It’s a 10 – leave in hair conditioner that defrizzes, detangles, smooths, conditions, etc.  There are ten things that it does but I can’t remember all of them because as we know, my memory is filled with irrelevant real estate terms, but I do know that it is available at Target and Amazon.

Apps

Food for table (my brother turned me onto this) – this app allows you to plan up to three meals per week for free and more if you pay extra for the bigger version of the app.  You can choose from chicken, meat free, slow cooker, salads, etc.  It also alerts you when grocery stores in your area are having a sale so you can plan your meals around those items.  The meals are pretty simple, so I would say this is more for weeknight meals, but it is great to have on your phone in the grocery store when your time to shop is limited  and your creativity is in even shorter supply.

Nike training app This app offers general workouts at three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced.  It also has fitness routines for specific body areas such as a “better butt”.  The app demonstrates the exercise and then times the workout and notifies you when to switch to the next exercise.  Great for the at-home workout.  My only complaint is that it is a kilobyte hog.   My friend Amanda, who has a much better butt than me, gave me this app.

Books
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
This is an entertaining read, not any great classic - but very fun for anyone married and/or with kids.  Alice gets banged on the head and forgets the last ten years of her life - but amazingly she seems to only forget the bad things.  What a concept!

Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
Also a quick read, Left Neglect is actually a form of brain injury.  Fascinating and frustrating!

Movies
Argo
I was 13 when the Iran Hostage Crisis took place, so in hindsight I probably should be more familiar with this historical event, but I was preoccupied with boys, Steve miller, and other teenage distractions during 1979 and 80.  Anyway, this movie keeps you on the edge of your seat, is very well made and Ben Affleck, even with the bad early 80's hair and clothing still looks entirely sexy.  I don't even like facial hair.  I can't explain it, I think this real estate class has permanently scarred my brain.   (yes this is my new crush)

Recipes

Coconut chicken curry

My sister-in-law gave me this recipe. It is really tasty and you can make it ahead of time.  Good for a group, serve with rice (and the trimmings listed below) and steamed broccoli or asparagus.  Or a salad with toasted almonds, goat cheese and mandarin oranges.

Kristie's Choice for March

Wow, what a bummer.  I had this week's blog all written before I left for a trip and set to self-publish and somehow it disappeared.  I will try to recreate as best I can.

Since we are watching our figures (wax or wane I'm not sure), I thought I would look for some healthy snacks.  Jamba Juice Popsicles  are calorie friendly and affordable at your local Walmart.

Park City Coffee Roasters Latte
I'm not sure about you, but I'm getting a little bored with Starbucks.  I prefer my designer drinks with plenty of frothy foam and with a happy design on top such as a snowflake or  heart.  It seems that Park City Coffee Roaster is the only joint in town capable of pulling this off.  They have recently added beer and wine to their  menu, as well as more seating.  It is a good place for a casual business meeting, or to rendezvous with a friend and catch up.  If I'm going to pay $5 for a cup of coffee, it better look like this...

The Everywhereist
When I first began my endeavor to start a blog, I did a bit of research.  Time Magazine rated the best blogs of 2011.  There were many "helpful" websites and more than a few devoted to the trials and tribulations of being a mom, but this was my favorite.  Geraldine left her job to follow her husband around the world while he travels for work.  She is a creative and witty writer; I particularly enjoy "WTF Wednesdays", "Food Porn Fridays", and "Dick Move of the Week".   This is a good indicator of just how bad a sales person I am, I'm actually recommending the competition.
http://www.everywhereist.com/



Rescue Repair for Split Ends
This stuff is awesome.  Of course I just paid $15 for it at the salon and just found it on amazon for $9, thus perpetuating my love/hate relationship with amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Schwarzkopf-Bonacure-Repair-Sealed-Colors/dp/B000ULRDJU

Sonia Kashuk Perfectly Neutral Palette in color 10

Last time I got my hair color refreshed, I was able to peruse several beauty magazines for much needed advice.  Of course, I was drawn to Newsweek, WSJ, and Forbes, but I took one for the team and instead read InStyle, Vogue and Bazaar.  One article indicated that a bit of champagne shadow is flattering for all, but particularly those in the middle aged bracket.  I found the neutral palette below at Target.  It is perfect because it has a built in neutralizer that you apply to your lids to get rid of redness, veins, etc.  In yet another article I read that to achieve an alluring effect you should apply the "medium" shade in the center of your eyelid, the lighter shade toward the inside of your eyelid, and the darkest shade extending out to the corner of your lid.  Then apply mascara and THEN eyeliner.  This is different from how I have been doing things for the last 30 years, so I thought I would bring you all up to speed and make the world a little more alluring.

Self Tanner
With spring fast approaching, our bodies ever expanding, and skin cancer always looming, self tanner is a must before any post -hibernation bodily revelation.  The most professional (and most exposed) option is to have a tanning professional spray tanner on you at a tanning salon.  The next best solution is to rotate yourself like a rotisserie chicken in one of the stand up spray tan booths.  However, if neither of these are in your future, there are some at-home options that will work nicely.

Nivea Sun-kissed Radiant Skin Self Tanner offers a natural looking tan that you build over time, with no streaks.  Available at most drug and grocery stores.

If you need a darker tan fast, definitely go for the Fake Bake.  Available on Amazon and possibly Sephora. You will need to apply it with gloves, and it looks streaky at first, but the next day in the shower, the streaks come off to reveal a glowing tan.  I recommend application at least two days prior to your event.  You will need to enlist help to reach your nether regions.  This is one of my husband's favorite jobs.

Katherine McPhee Workout
Finally, with regard to spring break preparation, I offer an efficient workout from Katherine McPhee in Self Magazine.  If you skip the stretching, it can be done in an hour.  Often if I am feeling strong I increase the weights and reps.  It can be done at home or at the gym, you need access to a treadmill (or run outside) and preferably a stationary bike, but not necessary.  Three minutes of jumping rope seems like an eternity, so nine minutes is close to infinity.  The jump rope kicked my ass.  And my bladder.

- Five minutes on the treadmill at six miles per hour
- Total body stretches
- 20 jumping jacks
- 10 push-ups
- Upper body circuit: 10 one-arm rows, 10 lateral side rises, 10 front rises and 10 bicep curls going into overhead press with five-pound weights
- Five push-ups
- Five burpees
- 30 seconds of alternating jump lunges
- Running up and down a flight of stairs twice
- Five minutes on a stationary bike at resistance 10 or 15
- 20 jumping jacks
- 10 push-ups
- Abs circuit: 45 crunches (15 regular, 15 pulling knees toward head, 15 with legs straight and hands under butt if needed), 15 full sit-ups, put hands under your butt and do leg flutters for 30 seconds and then scissors for 30 seconds, plank for 30 seconds
- Three-minute run on treadmill at seven miles per hour
- Repeat the abs circuit
- 20 jumping jacks
- 10 push-ups
- Assisted pull-ups (three sets of 10 reps) (do dips on a chair if you can't do pull ups)
- Jump rope for three minutes
- Repeat upper body circuit
- Jump rope for three minutes
- Plank for 30 seconds
- Repeat stair run
- Pull-ups (three sets of six reps)
- Three minutes on a stationary bike at resistance 10
- 10 push-ups
- Jump rope for three minutes

J. Hilburn Men's Clothier

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not include my new semi- employer, J. Hilburn, on my list of favorite things this month.  As of Friday March 30th, I will officially be an Independent Style Consultant (translation: I try to sell high end men's clothing at affordable prices for them and they have no obligation to me).  I made a New Year's Resolution to make some $$$ in 2012 and this is my first attempt at revenue generation.   At no time during my college and grad school toils did I picture myself measuring men and selling them custom dress shirts; but life changes, markets collapse, real estate flails - you have to adapt accordingly.  Not all has gone to waste, I used my hard earned marketing skills to create my own business cards, advertising post cards and thank you notes.  I made two spreadsheets to help me track my contact with potential clients as well as my expenses.  I placed hand lotion and wintergreen mints in my bag so as not to offend any male clientele with my parched appendages and sour breath.  So if you or your significant other are in need of men's clothing made from the finest Italian fabric and crafted by the best Asian tailors, or just need some nice looking clothes for an evening out, contact me at kristie.henderson@jhilburnpartner.com.   Your man may not look exactly like the fellow below when I'm done with him, but I will try my best.

Kristie's Choice for February

The Bauble Bar
Unique, reasonably priced costume jewelry (or as my Parisian friend calls it Bijoux Fantasy - everything sounds more seductive in French)  that has been featured in a few magazines.  http://baublebar.com/

Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner
Ironically, my husband first requested this product and now I've adopted it.  It doesn't contain sulfates, so there is no lather which is a paradigm shift that you will have to get used to, and you have to leave it on for about 5 minutes for it to work, but it does seem to be a healthy alternative to every day washing.  In the directions, it says to use "16-20 pumps for medium length hair" - which is simply ridiculous.  I use 5-7 pumps for my hair.  If your hair is really greasy, it probably won't give it a proper cleansing.  And don't expect your hair to look like the girls in the commercials - clearly they have had the benefit of a professional blow-out from "Chaz", but I do feel like my hair is softer and less frizzy.
http://www.wenhaircare.com/  Available on Amazon, like everything else in the world.

Greens First
A powdered version of greens that you can mix into your smoothies or whatever you prefer.  Most greens supplements that I sampled make me feel like a horse trying to choke down a bunch of hay.  These go down relatively smoothly and have a pleasant minty flavor.
http://www.greensfirst.com/index_2011.asp?node=2  You can also get this on Amazon.

Frozen Blueberries
These are tasty late afternoon snack when you really want to eat a bag of pirate booty, a box of thin mints,  jar of peanut butter, etc.  They are crunchy, satisfying and healthy and you can buy a GIANT bag (shocking I know) at Costco.


Organic Girl Super Greens
For some reason, these greens taste really great to me and they seem to last longer than other greens.  Available at Whole Foods

Mother Denim
These are the most comfortable, soft jeans.  They are pictured here in red, but they are available in other colors.  You can find them at Fred Segal, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman.  Sometimes they have them at JMR at the Gateway in Salt Lake City.

SkinMedica Tri-Retinol Complex
I have pretty sensitive skin and usually can't use Retin-A, but this retinol cream is perfect.  I use it every other night in the winter, and every night in the summer.  Apply a light moisturizer over the retinol once it has dried (see past blog "middle aged beauty routine" for further info).  http://www.dermstore.com/long_100155-300109.htm?s_kwcid=TC%7C5319%7Cskin%20medica%20creams%7C%7CS%7Cb%7C9802861989&gclid=CMD8zrKgoa4CFQ5_hwodkgz8SQ

Pass the Popcorn board game
If your brain is filled with useless movie knowledge like mine, you will enjoy this game.  My kids think I am both brilliant and cool when we play this game together (a rare occasion indeed).  Good family fun, because I always win.

Ginger Ale and Vodka
My friend Amanda turned me onto this drink.  Yummy and a refreshing break from the boring vodka/club soda combo.  Whole Foods carries this brand of "superior" ginger ale.

Cucumbers
My friend Heidi sent me this info.  Personally, I love cucumbers but always wrote them off as having no nutritional value.  It seems I was wrong, "cucumbers contain Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, B5, B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc."  They can do everything from alleviate a hangover, to clear off a foggy mirror, to polish your shoes, to fix a squeaky hinge, and perhaps most importantly - rub away cellulite!  Read on... http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/cucumbers-who-knew

Kristie's Choice for January

Modern Family on Wednesday Nights

– Wholly entertaining.  The only show I tivo other than Bill Maher.

The Week Magazine

-You can read it in 45 minutes and be totally briefed on current events, cultural happenings, and quirky facts around the world.  I appreciate that it presents both liberal and conservative commentary.

Costco organic Peanut Butter 

– yummy, no sugar, cheap

Avalon Organics Vitamin C face lotion

 – a great daytime face lotion

The song” YouU and I” by Lady GaGa 

– catchy beat, uplifting, sexy

Gwyneth Paltrow cleanse 

– I’ve only tried a few recipes, but so far I like it – the carrot ginger salad dressing is tasty.
http://goop.com/newsletter/15/

LuLu Lemon “Run swiftly tech long sleeve shirt”

 – I could wear this shirt every day, it is so warm and wicks the sweat away. I wish I owned 7 of them. 

 http://shop.lululemon.com/products/clothes-accessories/top-rated-women/Run-Swiftly-Tech-LS-32870

Aloe Vera Juice 

– As my husband’s grandmother used to say in her strong welsh accent (usually loudly in a restaurant)  “IT'S GOOD FOR THE BOWELS!”

Teavana 

– The most expensive cup of tea you will ever have (except perhaps at the Ritz in London), but it is quite flavorful

Kusmi tea
- I first tried this in Paris while strolling down the Champs-Elysees after a few too many glasses of champagne.  The "Love Tea" is my favorite.  You can even get it on Amazon now.

"Lose It" App for Ipad 

– Efficient way to track the number of chocolate chips that you ate, resulting 1880 calories, and inability to burn them off over the next five days.