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What My Brand Says About Me

by with 2 Comments charitycommunityfitnesslifestylesportstechnologytravel

As online personalities, we are often asked to define what our brands represent and to describe what we do in a singular sentence. In a singular sentence, I’m a lot of things. I’m an adrenaline junkie, a foodie, a mom, a puppy lover – a lot of things. I can best describe my brand as I describe what it is that I hope to give people in the community of ‘Team Jess’, to – Inspire. Encourage. Empower.

I find inspiration in the places I visit, encouragement in my friends, and empowerment in the stories I write. It’s really refreshing when I can go places and cover stories, when I can team up with brands, and when I can get an insider look at all the things that really interest me, to then write about and share with all of you. I’ve been sharing a lot this week on the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am event that was held last week in Pebble Beach and the Foursome who shared their Fan’s Eye View of the tournament this year.

As I introduced the Foursome to you last week, I told you how I relate to each of them; being that I’m a mother of a 17 year old, an Army brat who’s moved every 3 years, and someone who also quit corporate America to pursue the dream of being creative full time. Learning about each of their stories individually helped me understand what about golf each of them loved so much. Last week I got to chat with them and these are their responses that really stuck with me.

I asked Dan what the one thing was that he’ll take away with him from this experience. He told me that the opportunity better helped him understand where he needs to be in order to reach his goal saying, “I can see that picture and I can imagine it and then I can go home and visualize it …. I know now what I need to do and where I need to be … turn the small goals into the big goal”.  As a visualizer myself, I was silently ‘wahoo-ing’ everything he was saying while taking notes.

I’d asked Tiffany the same question and if she had any advice for someone like me, who was interested in the sport but perhaps a bit intimidated by it, and for someone wanting to give up. She said, “It’s kind of like life, every day is not a great day. It’s not. And you just move on…. like anything else it takes patience, focus, commitment, you’ll be rewarded for those 3 things”. Again I was silently standing up giving her a slow clap because it couldn’t have been said any better. Patience. Focus. Commitment. Check! Check! Check!

Katie, the youngest in the group, was so poised and well spoken that you knew by talking with her that she held her own on the golf course and in life. She was also motivated by this special fan’s eye view of the event, having answered my question about what her new goals for the year were, saying, “My goal is to become a professional … this experience has motivated me go out there, give it my best and practice, and work my hardest to get to where I need to be in the future”. She’s a smart young lady and I’m so excited to see where the next 5 years takes her.

Before I let the Foursome get back to their activities, I spoke to Tim whose story really hit home for me since my dad was in the military for 23 years and I knew exactly where he was coming from. I asked Tim what about golf made the rehabilitation process for him something to look forward to, what about it changed him. He responded, “I’m the type of guy that if I do something I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it all out….to prove that I’m not broken. I might be scarred … I might look different and walk different, and have to live different, but I’m still me and I’m still able to do anything I wish to”.

I didn’t know what to say after that, I was pretty speechless, there were some pretty powerful statements made from these four and I’m so glad I got a chance to chat with them and get an insider view of their insider experience.

I’m inspired by each of their incredible stories, and I find it fascinating that I can relate to each of them as their brands sound a lot like mine! They each inspire, encourage, and empower and it’s wonderful to see that in this recap video reel of their “Fan’s Eye View” campaign and their week at the event here:

You can catch up on all of their behind-the-scenes photos and videos by following them on Twitter: @blackgirlsgolf @kthorsford @timlanggolf @thedanplan. Follow along in their journeys with me!

I hope you’ve had an amazing week and I can’t wait to catch you up on what happened this week!

Hugs,

Jess

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This post is in partnership with AT&T, celebrating 30 years of the #ATTPROAM.

 

 

 

love these girls

How To Throw The Best Bachelorette Party For Your Best Girls!

by with No Comment adventureDIYlifestyleparty ideasspecial occassionstravelValentine's Day

It’s wedding season! For the type A/planner in me, I couldn’t have been more excited about gift giving and surprise planning than I was for this bachelorette party! My girl Linz is getting married in 3 weeks and I’m the maid of honor!!! This past weekend we celebrated her with a fun filled weekend in Vegas with the best group of girls you’ve ever seen, and I wanted to share with you all the fun things I did that you can use for your next Bachelorette/birthday/celebration! Also I suck at surprises and it was SO hard for me not to send the girls photos of everything I was doing.

giftbags
So I had these ‘Who Doesn’t Want That‘ totes especially made for Linz’s bach party  with the date, because it’s the best party favor … cute and functional! Yes it was over Valentine’s day weekend and we had THE best ever Galentine’s day I could even have imagined #girlpower

bachbags
So in the bags I put together a lil ‘survival kit’ for the weekend complete with a hangover kit:

  • smart water because dumb decisions
  • a ‘cheers bitches’ tank since this was our theme for the weekend
  • Reese’s candy, Linz’s favorite
  • Kind bars because we were meanies to our livers
  • a ‘no ugly crying’ hankie filled with my favorite products to ensure no faces fell off
  • Moscato wine because never enough
  • a pack of polaroids for the polaroid camera I brought because polaroids are lyyyfe
  • le mieux eye masks (didn’t fit in the photo)- best evaaar for dark circles & puffiness!
  • handmade tiaras that I made…with my hands thus they later fell a part!
  • and “I regret nothing” survival/hangover kits!survivalkitsIn these kits I put all my go-to items that you just NEED the morning after any kind of partying because survival mode:
  • my FAVORITE part of the gift bags: temporary tattoos that read “I belong to Linz’s bachelorette party. If I’m lost please buy me a drink!” (I mean….genius Etsy just genius)
  • ginger tea (aids in belly aches and nausea)
  • raspberry Emergen-C (tastes delicious and you need all the vitamins you can get)
  • nausea chews (these really do work!)
  • alka seltzer
  • kissy bandaids for any booboos (kissing a booboo makes everything better)
  • “To have and to hold….your hair back” hair ties with Linz bach note on it (cutest ever)
  • altoids
  • advil
  • glow in the dark rings so I could find my girls in dark clubs! We were likePower Rangers!

hankies

The ‘no ugly crying’ hankies folded into the perfect envelopes to hold some of my favorite ‘don’t let my face fall off’ products. Weddings will make you cry so I didn’t want anyone’s beautiful face to melt off:

  • Inglot blotting tissues (my favorite brand)
  • Blinc mascara that turns any mascara into a waterproof/ cry proof/ smudge proof magic-ness
  • my favorite lip liner that can double as blush and is perfect to layer or wear alone
  • Skindinavia’s setting spray (hands down the best) it’s time released and temperature controlled so when you start to sweat it kicks in high gear, hello dancing! (oh technology)

tiaras
These were the ‘cheers bitches’ tiaras I made….after about 3 attempts, 2 trips to Michaels, a return to Marth-freaking-Stuart, and gluing 2 of my fingers together…. here they are! Post on the how to’s coming soon! I did so much DIY for this party that you’d all be so proud of me…because DIY is not my friend!

linztiara
Linz’s bag had a few extra special items that I threw in there since it’s her big day I wanted even her martini cup to be wearing a veil! I got this tank from Etsy, and the tiara and matching cup veil cup came from Party City.

linzbag
I think what makes a person a good friend is different from person to person, and what makes Linz a great friend to me, consists of too many words that deserve their own post. So I wanted her to feel just as loved, so in her bag also went her favorite Lollia Wish body wash and lotion, a bridal emergency kit, a quirky drink sleeve (because truth), and the something ‘blue’ I got her was this garter I had made for her that matches the same blue as Tiffany’s, and has Swarovski crystals surrounding the center bow. I fell in love with it when I saw it and I wanted her to have one to keep since one goes to a lucky bachelor! Every girl deserves a Tiffany blue something!

Some things I couldn’t make and bring with was the traditional penis cake….what an awkward conversation to have to the hotel concierge about baking such a cake and delivering it to the room! But it was so fun and their cake was delicious! I brought along with me the penis straws, cups, shot glasses, and all things penis I could find on the internet and it made for an amazing time!

Do it big ladies! Go ALL out and laugh until you’re swimming on a flooded bathroom suite floor with girls you absolutely adore, while having a communal bath and rubbing one another’s feet! haha yup that all happened! I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better more beautiful and supportive group of girls to be around than Bailey, Linz, Ashlee, and Meghan who I spent an incredible weekend with (Dani you were missed girl!!!)! I got so much closer to them and I’ve known them for years! There was no drama, it was all love, all laughs, and all dancing! Top night ladies!!! #buttsout

polaroids

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week and party til ya need an IV in the mornin 😉 We did that too!

 

xoxo- Jess

 

Corriney's Photography

Exploring Downtown L.A.

by with No Comment artbeautycommunitylifestyletravel

Here’s an oldie but goodie from my Corriney who writes for our mother/daughter blog and sometimes for me here. Thought I’d share her post with you since everything she does makes me such a proud momma. So here is some of her awesomeness on photography and art, and if you aren’t following her words on that blog, please do. She wrote:

Here are some snaps from my eventful day of filming.

Corrine's photography of Downtown

If you didn’t know, I love art and I love making it too. I died from happiness a little when I saw this poster that said “Paint or Die”. Nice, nice, props to you friend, whoever posted this. Really though, paint or die. x______x

This whole wall was filllllled with posters and graffiti, stickers and paintings. People just pile it on, layer after layer so you can still see some paintings that were once there underneath it, too.

Also, spotted the love of my life while I was there. This beautiful Husky baby named Cash, just hanging out on his second floor window.

He was so so precious, I just wanted to give him a great big hug. Spot the tag at the right, just beneath the window? It says #HewittHusky. I googled it and yeah, he has his own twitter account. That melted my heart, I tell ya. One guy walking down the street told us the dog’s name and that he thinks he’s a mountain goat. Awwwwwww.

This day showed me a lot of adventure. it was easy to get lost and forget about myself, to float around like a ghost for a little while. I love blending into my surroundings, and I must say, this space felt like home. I see myself in this place in the future.

-xx, C

If the shoe fits

If the shoe fits!

by with One Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle

Wear it! With everything am I right?! <—- I should totally do stand up! So style watch… here we go, let’s do this Fall style! *Still doing that Fall evoking thing over here in L.A.* Today I’m going to show you how you can wear one pair of shoes, three different ways this season, and yes with open toe heels! I took my current favorite pair of pumps, these Calvin Klein Vivian patent snake print sandals, and styled them three different ways. And even though it’s getting cooler out, there are a ton of ways you can still get away with wearing your open toed pumps this Fall season!

Take this look out to a brunch meeting or just to a night out with the girls, I call this the ‘casual ballerina’ look. Taking casual to another level here with this JustFab Mandy jumpsuit, which is comfortable and cute with it’s zip up front (and back), and front pockets. I wore this out with my Calvin Klein’s, and even though it’s getting cooler out, the jumper and jacket keep me warm enough. These heels are 4″ leather heels with the daintiest of pronounced platforms, are covered in a sleek snake print, and have a strap that wraps around your ankle. To top the look off I wore this faux leather Easy Jacket also by JF, and to keep the whole ‘ballerina’ thing going, I did the ‘off duty ballerina’ top knot accessorized with this beautiful beaded Free People headpiece. The makeup featured is the ‘line dance’ makeup look, and to see how I did it, head on over to my beauty channel here and watch the tutorial! It took all of five minutes to do! I hope you like it!
 
Prance around an event in this ensemble or just around – out on your next date night, I call this the ‘sporty chic’ …. and yes I am wearing sparkly ankle socks with these heels! Open toed heels worn with socks are all the rage this coming season! Hey Beyonce did it, so we can totalllyyyy pull it off! I really like how the ankle socks add a bit of edge to the look (and keep my toesies warm), and I kept it girly with this checkered scuba skirt and lace top. If it were a bit colder out, I’d just top this look off with a nice denim jacket and bam ready to dance the night away!
 
And this look…. which we’ll call the ‘business girl gone bad’ ….because one, I like naming things and two, because I feel like it’s something I’d wear to the office and then run off to an event in! Also take note of this pose, it’s apparently my most favorite pose to do ever. Not sure what it is I’m doing with my arms but we’ll go with it. 
 
So even though it’s windy out, I can still wear my heels so long as I wear these sheer floral tights….and a warm jacket. I’m a bit obsessed with printed tights these days! But for good reason! They’re just so cute with my sandals, and in this JF dress I’m feelin foxy!!! Foxy is still a thing kids say these days right? Well I was feeling foxy and fabulous! I accessorized the look with black chandelier earrings and since the dress has front slits in it I decided no necklace was neccessary. Instead, I slipped on a chunky ring and off I went!  
 
So three fun looks, for three different occasions, styled with one pair of sexy heels. Gotta love how creative us ladies can get when the season changes! Beyond all of the recipes I can cook up that include pumpkin puree, I also love my layers. I’m telling you, Fall season tis the best season! What do you love most about the Fall? About the change in weather? P.S. I say there are no rules in fashion, wear what makes you feel confident! Unless they’re flip flops…..I would say to stay away from socks and flip flops whenever possible 😉
 
Thanks for sharing in my themed fashion tour today, and I’ll see you soon with another look combining a hairstyle and makeup look you’ll see this Fall! Click here to check out the latest in my series and happy pumpkin spicing! 
 
 
 
xoxoxo- Jess
 
photo-9

Why you’re allowed to let yourself go

by with No Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle
Ever since I had my daughter – at 16 – I hear all the time, ‘oh don’t let yourself go’, or I hear people talk about how someone else has ‘let themselves go’. What’s that supposed to do to our confidence and to our thought process subconsciously? Ah yes, tell us not to go up for that second plate of food, that it’s not ok to leave the house without any makeup on, and to not wear sweat pants out to run errands in. What?!?! I love wearing sweat pants and I REALLY love not wearing makeup. 
 

Why is it ok to tell young girls and women that they shouldn’t let themselves go, that they should always put their best foot…and face forward? It’s not. I say let go, let it all go. Go a few days without washing your hair, the natural oils will rehydrate your scalp anyways. Go a few days without looking in the mirror, you’ll find you really appreciate everything about your face when you finally look again, and go a few days without wearing makeup! Your skin will breathe, you’ll save some time in the morning, and you’ll remember what you look like when you’re not all ‘done’ up and that is a beautiful thing. 
 
With wild abandonment I think you should let yourself go. Not only with hair and makeup but with adventure and creativity. Makeup isn’t everything and neither is working 24-7-365. There isn’t one woman I know who doesn’t look beautiful without her makeup on. Yes it enhances your features, but also your features don’t need any enhancing. I suffer from this sometimes myself where I think I HAVE to have makeup on, and I post those moments (see above) and I make fun of them because it really is silly to think that you…that we….that I …am any less glamorous without my winged eyeliner. I do love that darn winged eyeliner look though. 
 
I also need to take my own advice on this sometimes, but I do truly believe that in life everything is about balance. Having that second plate of food because your cooking is bomb, and then working out and staying active…balance. Getting dolled up for work or for a night out and crimping our hair and primping and spraying and teasing…and then taking a few days to go makeup free and let your skin and hair breathe a bit….balance. It’s all balance and I think you should totally let yourself go to balance out this world of air brushing and size 00 runway models. This is what our daughters and sons see.  
 
Take it from a lady who has to get dolled up most days because she’s in front of a camera, and who’s perpetually eating ‘clean’ and living a healthy lifestyle, not only for health but also because she’s going out on auditions against girls 12 years her junior and to casting agent that kind of thing matters. Take it from me, YOU are allowed to let it all go and you’re beautiful. We need to hear that not only as girls and women and mothers, but as humans, and if this be your Monday Mantra than I’m glad you stopped in for a quick read. ‘Be-You-Tiful”. 
 
 
xoxoxo
proats1

Meal prep made easy! Dessert for breakfast!

by with No Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle

Dessert for breakfast…psshh how many times have you heard that and then the recipe calls for flax seed (which I don’t like) and gross protein or raw egg whites. No thank you, I’d rather have ice cream for breakfast, a real dessert. There are many ways I can actually justify having ice cream for breakfast but instead I’ll share with you my recipe for proats (protein oats) that is delicious, nutritious, and takes all of 60 seconds to prep! Bam, you wake up with breakfast already made and ready to go!

I usually make 5 or 6 of these jars so that I can have enough for the week or enough for Joe and Corrine. Both my boyfriend and my 16 year old daughter love these proats and eat mine if I don’t make enough. You can add whatever variation you choose, or how ever you decide to portion out your oats but I portion out these amounts so that it fits my personal meal plan. 

So in a mason jar, or jug, or sealable container, drop in your rolled oats, I just use old fashioned oats about 1/4 cup for myself and 1/2 cup for Joe since he’s a man and loves to eat both his and my proats if I don’t make enough. Then I put in half of a scoop of protein powder, this is a whey protein we got at whole foods and it’s flavorless- my favorite kind, and I only use half since I don’t feel the need to over do it on protein. Then I add in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, 1 teaspoon of PB2 (powdered peanut butter- more protein but I do it for the yummy flavor), and then lastly I pour in enough almond milk to saturate and cover the mixture. I place the top on the jar and shake it up a good 8, 9 times and then pop it in the fridge over night. 


I don’t pour in the milk unless I know it will get eaten in the morning since it’s all dry ingredients if I don’t use it then I will just store it for the week until I’m ready to pour in the milk and have it for breakfast. This is an awesome on the go breakfast, protein packed to jump start your day and/or your morning workout, tastes like Christmas, and for me is so much better than warm oatmeal. Though that is a staple for warm weather! 

I even sometimes use coconut milk whatever I have in the refrigerator, a drizzle of agave if I’m craving the sweet, and when I’m feeling crazyyyy I’ll throw in a dash of nutmeg and a tablespoon of dried unsweetened coconut flakes! Omg can you say amazing! This really is the most delicious meal prepping I’ve ever done, with the consistency of a parfait, and the nutritional benefits of a hearty breakfast. Try it out and let me know what you think and what alterations you make to the recipe!

Fall season is upon us so I’ll be adding in pumpkin flavored everything soon! 

Happy Monday to you and I hope the week treats you amazing!

xoxo- 

Jess


fallshoes31

Fall look 2: The Line Dance and The Off Duty Ballerina!

by with One Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle

Hello! Welcome back for part 2 of 6 of our #StayingOnTrend&StickingToABudget Fall inspired look book! Each week I’m taking one makeup trend and one hairstyle trend that you’ll see this Fall and putting them together with a full look! Today is a sleek and simple look, taking the top knot and the smokey eye and pairing them together for a casual business meeting. 


The ‘line dance’ makeup look is just like your everyday liner look, which ever you choose as your go to- it’s just a bit heavier and more consistent in form, with pencil on top pencil on bottom, or liquid on top liquid on bottom. Whether you wing it out, make the line thin or thick, it’s all about the liner and less about the rest of the face. I opted to go with my pencil kohl liner on both top and bottom, and per the usual I would wing it out a bit at the ends but this time I didn’t. Instead I smudged it with a slanted brush and swept a golden brown color under my bottom lashes, kept my lips pretty neutral, and also unlike me, I PUT MY HAIR UP! Like what?! 

Yes I totally put my hair up today! I’m a hair down kinda girl….everyday. But this ‘off duty ballerina’ is just a top knot, clean version of a bun. More sleek, less loose pieces, more spray! It took me about 30 seconds to achieve this top bun and about 30 pounds of hairspray 😉 I used my fingers to comb through my hair pulling it all up in a pony tail and then by method of ‘twist, turn, tuck’ I achieved the look you see here 😀 Then I popped on my Free People head piece and my hair and makeup was done! 

For my outfit to go with this hair and makeup look, I kept it casual and comfortable with my JustFab jumper and jacket, and my Calvin Klein snake print pumps. Best day look and in under ten minutes from head to toe, I think I’ve accomplished the impossible! For the tutorial on this look, head on over to my beauty channel here where I show you step by five minute step just how to get this look, and all under $20! I used all drug store brand makeup with the exception of my eye liner which is from Makeup Forever. For the life of me I couldn’t find my Revlon one bah!

Makeup items for this look: 
Sonia Kashuk Luminous foundation in Buff Chamois
Pro Conceal concealer in light 
Makeup Forever eyeliner pencil in Zero
Physicians Formula Shimmer Palette
Loreal Voluminous black mascara by Miss Manga
ELF contouring blush and bronzing powder duo 
EOS lip balm 
Dove hairspray

Thank you for sharing part of your afternoon with me! Happy Fall makeup happenings and I’ll see you next week for ‘Bare Minimum’ and the ‘Gym Sleek’, oh yes….the gym sleek. Let’s do this!


Bear hugs, 

Jess

Metallic1

Fall Trends: The Metallic Touch and the New Wave- On Trend On A Budget!

by with No Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle

So I’ve been evoking Fall weather to come around sooner than later with my wishful thinking and playing ‘layered dress up’ in this L.A. heat!!! There are just so many things I love about the Fall season beyond pumpkin spiced EVERYTHING, cooler weather, and the holidays of course. I love Fall fashion…I love layering, I love finding my own style among all of the styles that come out that’s unique to my personality. I am in no means a professional stylist, I won’t even claim to know what I’m doing, but I do know what I like and I know I like to stay on trend and on a budget! 

I researched forever, the new styles in both fashion and beauty that we can expect to see this Fall season. Taking it from “the runway to the hallway” as I like to call it, I got SO inspired to combine them, two at a time and show you using all drug store brand makeup products. You can use whatever brand or product you have or love, but I just want to show that you can totally stay on trend and stick to a budget. Thank you Glamour, Cosmo and the umpteen other places I googled and searched to find these for you all. I was a research machine! The Metallic Touch makeup look will be everywhere this Fall season, it’s just adding a touch of shimmer to your look. Whether it be to your eyelids, the inner corner of your eyes, or even your lips which I did here. You choose how you want to glimmer and so I chose all three! And the New Wave hairstyle, another popular one for this Fall season is a spin on classic bohemian wave look, but with a bit more polish to it. If you want to see how I did this look head on over to my channel here and watch how I combine both looks to bring you this! 

 I had an event to go to this day so I wore this hair and makeup look with a very classy sophisticated dress that I’ve had for a while but didn’t know what do to with. It’s this blue chiffon, sleeveless, A-line dress that features this high neck ribbon tied back.  I belted it with this beaded belt from Francheska’s boutique, wore navy blue tights underneath, and for my shoes I wore my daughter’s Oxfords from Aldo’s in Ox Blood (she’s the coolest). It’s a very sophisticated and chic look, I pinned my hair back for a different look than I’m used to and headed out the door! 

For my makeup: The Metallic Touch

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation stick in 220
Maybelline concealer in Buff Chamois 
Revlon ColorStay eyeliner in Cocoa
Loreal Miss Manga voluminous mascara 
NYX eyeshadow pot in Top Notch 
Rimmel Glam Eyes liquid eyeliner 
Physicians Formula shimmer strips palette in Warm Nude 
Maybelline Fit Me blush in Medium Pink
NYX lip liner in Natural #810
EOS lipbalm

For my hair: The ‘New’ Wave 
Dove pure care dry hair oil 
Dove hair therapy hair spray
Con Air 1 inch barrel curling iron

For specifics on who when where why and how, head on over to my channel, it’s a quick 5 minute look that you can do to feel beautiful, stay on trend, and stick to that budget! That’s a triple threat if I ever did see one! I hope you enjoy this look, this is look ONE of SIX. So next will be the ‘Off duty ballerina’ paired with the ‘Line Dance’ makeup look, the ‘lashes out’ and the ‘braids and twists’, the ‘glow getter’ and the ‘pony tails rule’, the ‘bare minimum’ and the ‘center stage’, ‘color theory’ and the ‘gym sleek’, and the ’60’s Inspired’ paired with the ‘Mod Squad’ makeup look. I cannot wait to show you these looks and my spin on them. I’m also pairing each tutorial with an outfit so you can see how I wear the look out and about, what my Fall fashion will look like when I do these looks, and how easily you can do them too! 

I’m really excited for this series and to share them with you, so thank you so much for reading, and happy Fall season to youuuu! *me evoking Fall again*



Hugs, 

Jess


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Girls night! Our Pampering Party

by with One Comment beautyfashionfoodlifestyle

Ah girls night! A time for us ladies to get together with our closest girlfriends, crowd around good food, good music, and catch up! I really love any reason to get together with my friends, but I  especially can’t wait to see them when I’ve had one of those ‘longest days weeks ever’ kind of moments. It’s definitely the busy season…it’s the summer season, wedding season, and baby shower season (am I right?!), so I’ve been traveling a ton. An awesome girls night with amazing girls was definitely in order…from left to right, this is Karissa, myself, Sarah, and Whitney. Alexandra is here too, but behind the camera. 



I called up my good friend Sarah…I can always count on her. I can also count on her to be organized when I’m feeling flustered so we put together a quick menu, a list of fun things to do for our girls night, and reached out to some friends! We invited Whitney who is a colleague of Sarah’s and whom I’d met many times before and adored. She is sweet and savvy, the girl just knows how to make you smile. We also invited Karissa, who is the girlfriend of one of our mutual friends (who’s just as awesome) and she is the kind of girl you always want to be around because she’s just an amazing energy. And we also reached out to Alexandra, Sarah’s neighbor who is a SUPER talented photographer (all of the photos you’ll see today are works of her). She is the neighbor you wish you had because she bakes home made cookies for everyone in the building AND shares her basil plant with anyone who wishes to take some from her porch! I mean I’ve never even met my neighbors after three years yet alone share a love fern with them. Just an incredible group of girls and our night was set!

www.alexandrabrandlphotography.com

Arrived late having come from a meeting down town, having fought traffic….having moved my life square a bagillion times that day, it was SUCH a moment to arrive to smiling faces and a yummy spread of food! On the menu (and already set up on the table may I add): two kinds of red wines, hummus and chips, peppermint bark, home made pico de gallo, home made chocolate chip brownies, home made crusted zucchini rounds, and my STORE bought cheese platter…womp womp . Note to self: Blue cheese does NOT taste like GOAT cheese, nor does it even sound the same I don’t know how that even happened to me.
We sat around the best food, had the best conversations, and then moved the party into the living room where we popped on some tunes and got lost in girly things. They say that when women get together that all they do is polish their nails, braid one another’s hair, and talk about boys. Well they’d be right ……except for the braid part. Next time. Besides the smelly feet cheese and rosemary crackers… I also brought along with me the new… no light needed Sally Hansen® Miracle Gel™ polishes, and I brought along three colors; Pink Cadillaquer, Hydro Electric, and Purplexed. We sat around the table, dove into the colors and here is what we did!
The photo above is our model pose…how we would pose if we were hand models…which I mean, we totally could be! Posing, pampering, and giggelfests…I had so much fun with these ladies and I can’t thank Alexandra enough for capturing these moments. You won’t see her in any of the photos because she was the magic behind them! 
So I’ve been a long time lover of salon gel manicures. Being so busy, I don’t have time to fuss over my nails, to have them chip or peel on me, or to even deal with the fuss of purchasing a UV light for home so that I could potentially do them myself. However this is a great way to get that salon look, at home, and the polishes were awesome not at all fussy. I’d suggest applying 2-3 nice thick, even coats of your chosen color onto your nail, wait a few minutes and then apply the top coat. The polishes dry pretty quickly, as we learned by doing the ‘test’, where you touch your nails together and if they don’t stick they’re ready. And they were ‘ready’ quicker than I’d expected them to be. 
The brush has got to be my favorite thing about the polishes aside from the vibrant colors. It’s not too thick or thin, or too square (you know what I mean here, totally important), it takes the shape of your nail bed quickly, and applies the color evenly. If you choose a more transparent color like Pink Cadillaquer, I’d suggest making a ‘double lined’ kind of pattern on your nail with the color, to be sure that you cover your entire nail and that the polish is distributed evenly.

On Sarah is Purplexed, a deep purple, and Karissa is wearing Pink Cadillaquer, an all around favorite- a pastel pink rich in color.












Whitney and Alexandra have Hydro Electric on, a gorgeous hue of blue, and I used both Pink Cadillaquer and Purplexed to recreate my favorite cupcake pattern on my nails but of course! My reason….”sometimes you want to say hi with one color, and goodbye with another color!”. I crack myself up! It’s been a few days now since our pampering party/girls night and my nails have held up really nicely AND I get to say hello with one color and goodbye with another.

I highly recommend spending an evening with your friends, catching up, slowing down, having fun, and just remembering that the world may be moving quickly but we have people around us to keep us grounded. Amen for that! If you want to enter for a chance to win your very own set of these awesome polishes (I suggest you do, I mean..girls night!) simply enter the #PerfectPairSweeps <—- this is the hash tag you’re going to want to use when you submit a photo of YOUR own #MiracleMani to enter to win, and you can submit that here. 


Please TAG me also when you enter so that I can see all of your pampering parties, what your nails look like, and can live vicariously through your girls night! I’m @Jess_Lizama on both Twitter and Instagram. I’ve also included all of our yummy recipes below so you can try them out at your next girls night or get together and let me know how it turns out!

Thus my goal for the rest of the year is to each month set aside time for myself, time with my friends, and time to reflect. We all need that sometimes and shouldn’t feel guilty or unproductive when you do. I promise you’ll tackle life so much more refreshed and relaxed the next day when you take a day to yourself. Big hugs to my Sarah, Whitney, Karissa, and Alexandra for spending the evening with me, talking all things life and love… like girls do, and let’s do more of this ladies!

Please check out more of Alexandra’s work here,she is a fantastic photographer and amazing at capturing moments. 

Have a great weekend and I hope you get a lil you time in really soon! 

xoxo- 
Jess
The noms:

 Chipotle Brownies (thanks to Sarah!):
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 ounces peanut butter chocolate chips
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup chocolate chunks

Heat oven to 325 degrees, butter and flour an 8×8 inch baking pan. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. 

In a medium saucepan bring 1 inch of water to a simmer. Add butter, peanut butter and semisweet chocolates to a metal bowl large enough to sit on top of the saucepan. Melt ingredients, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk on high until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk on medium for 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and whisk on low for 30 seconds. Add sour cream and whisk on medium for 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chunks by hand. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. 


*best ever- Zucchini Parmesan Crisps (thanks to Karissa):
2-3 medium zucchini
olive oil or coconut oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with wax paper. Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini into the oil and in a smaller bowl combine the cheese, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Dip each zucchini round into the cheese mixture, coating it evenly on both sides of it, and then press the coating onto the rounds for the mixture to stick. 

Place the rounds in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. 

Enjoy! 

Sally Hansen® Miracle Gel™ At Last! Gel without the light! 

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Sally Hansen®  via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Sally Hansen®.