My Northern CA Trip in Pics

I did a terrible job documenting anything last week so in lieu of the usual "Week in Pics" installment, I shall share some photos from Northern California (technically, that would be "Two Weeks Ago in Pics").

San Francisco

"Everywhere You Look":  You can't help but hear this song in your head when you're standing in Alamo Square.  Did anyone else hate Kimmy Gibler?  She seems like she'd be a horrific first date.

Bye bye, San Francisco. More happened in this city, but the highlight was my husband telling me not to order more food at a restaurant.  That didn't go over so well.  And it'll never happen again. ;)

By the way, you can never have too many plates of Vietnamese garlic noodles.   

Our next stop was Napa.

We stayed at Chateau de Vie.  This has been our third time here, and we love it!  

Besides the complimentary wine and cheese service, the breakfast here is BANGING!

Who doesn't love the refreshing taste of watermelon and mint in the morning?

Corn griddles!!  Actually, I may be wrong on that name.  But they tasted like cornbread waffles.  Yup, like heaven!

PRESS:  It was AMAZING.  I still dream about their kobe steak.  Get the mixed grill! 

Date night!

Hellooooo, Mendocino.  It was my first time there.  It was so beautiful. And for 48 hours, I did not see a non-white person.  It was a little bizarre.

I don't know what I'm doing here.  It resembles the aggressive move you make before you fight.

Doesn't this look like an ad for eHarmony?  I guess if you didn't notice the couple down there, it wouldn't.

The most epic bubble bath.  Even Mr. Bubbles couldn't touch this.

Here are some leftover photos from Oregon.

Yes, I always hike while doing Vanna White poses.

We did a corn maze. We sneezed a lot afterward.

Peek a boo!

Have a great week!

How to Keep Necklaces Untangled

I hate spending time unraveling these messes.

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I loved this idea I saw from Real Simple Magazine.

image via Real Simple

This is ideal for keeping chain necklaces untangled as you travel.  However, I find that my necklaces magically get tangled even just sitting in my jewelry box.  What a cool way to reuse straws!  You can also cut the straws for anklets and bracelets.

For Some, Double iPhones = Double Rainbows

Hi.  I don't use an iPhone.  I think they are ridiculously priced. 

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This is not a cute case.  It illustrates what an iPhone actually does --eats all of your money.
And then you get robbed because you are walking around with a $650+  device in your hand.  $850 for a 64GB phone?  Will my future children expect to have such pricey phones?  Kill me now.

Despite my iPrice contempt, many people are excited that Apple officially unveiled their two iPhone products, the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.

Travel Fashion

I took the challenge to pack only enough for a carry-on for this trip.  After successfully doing so, I arrived in Portland only to realize that I totally didn't have enough outfits.  As the days went by, this did not become an issue.  I kept gravitating toward spandex and elastic waistbands.  The same two workout-ish outfits.  It's impressive how cute women look while traveling.  These fashionable females wear heels, jingly accessories, body-clinging materials, and belts.  I just keep in mind whether I will be active or sitting down for long periods of time.  If I'm sitting while flying or riding in the car, you better believe I'll be wearing a loose dress or forgiving lower body encasements.  Who likes those angry red lines in your flesh at the waist and behind the knees??  

I am hoping on arriving toward the perfect balance.  Having comfy clothes and nice you-will-look-so-fabulous-in-destination-pictures clothes.  Because what is the point of getting a beautiful scenic background when your loose, comfortable shirt gives you major mom body?  No offense, moms.

I guess in the end it shouldn't matter as long as you have enough underwear. 

Hey, wanna see what I tried on at Target? I'm obsessed with French Bulldogs, so this shirt made me so happy.  I didn't buy it because a) I need to stop buying shit, and b) it made me look like a box.

This is my view right now.  Doing the West Coast wind down.  I just saw some of my old teacher friends (as in back-in-the-day friends with whom I taught, not elderly teachers).  And about to meet up with a college friend.  I love meeting up with buddies around the country.  It totally stresses out my husband to travel because he feels super obligated to meet every single friend that lives in the city we visit.  Then he feels horribly guilty for not reaching out to these people.  If they have kids, my husband has irrational thoughts about his friends thinking that he must loathe their offspring because why would he NOT want to meet their children????!! 

I don't know.  I just figure true friends understand if you guys can't meet up.  Shit happens.

Bump Up Your Eyeshadow Color with White Eye Pencil

Have you ever been disappointed when the beautifully bright eye shadow you bought results in a DULL color on your eyelid?  

Pop those colors, girl!
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An easy trick to use is to color your entire eyelid with a white pencil to provide a nice, light canvas for your eyeshadow.  A popular one is the NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk.

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What I Haven't Been Doing to Protect Myself on a Flight

I've been traveling.  I'm aware that plane environments suck.  The cabin air just zaps all the moisture out of your skin.  So I've been pretty smug about my relatively new habit of smearing on layers of hydrating lotion and lip balm.  I was even considering bringing a spray bottle and misting myself during the flight.  Isn't that what celebrities do? Except with Evian water.

The voice in my head: "Oh, look! My skin is so happy! And I'm so good at drinking water. Pat on MY back."  Then I read some horrifying article about how you are subjected to more intense UV radiation in planes as you are in high altitudes where a thinner ozone layer is present.  The standard plate glass doesn't entirely filter out the UV rays.  So you should be wearing at least SPF 30 while you fly. 

That's GREAT to know.  Since my face is usually right HERE throughout the flight.  Pressed up against that no-good window.  With NO SPF protection whatsoever.

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I've been saving my SPF-loaded moisturizers for being outside, not for when I was in what I thought was the protected womb of an airplane!  Silly me.  Also, it's psychological, but I would feel more "dirty" when I wore lotion with SPF on long flights.  So I just...wouldn't. Armed with this fear-inducing information, I am changing my ways.  SPF, all the way for me!  And just to be on the safe side, I'll be closing those shades.  A peek now and then will suffice!

What about you?  Have you been a lot smarter than me in protecting your skin on flights? 

I hope so!

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Venice Film Festival

Diane Kruger is hitting some "Best Dressed" lists in this purple velvet Alberta Ferretti gown.  

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The dress is reminiscent of royalty.  But it looks heavy, hot (as in VERY warm), and oppressive.  It makes me miss her ethereal look from last year's Cannes Film Festival.  What do you think?  

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Is it just me or can Sandra Bullock do no wrong?  

Here she is in a vibrant 3-toned Alex Perry frock with the lime green color blocking cinching her waist oh-so-nicely!

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Let's not forget that entrance to the Venice Film Festival Opening Ceremony + Gravity Premiere!

Sandra was a ruby stunner in a J Mendel Resort 2014 dress and Roger Vivier ankle-strap heels.  Can we say perfection?

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