Pen Pretty

What I'm Reading Now (on Audio): The Lazy Girl's Guide To Losing Weight And Getting Fit. Perfect for my morning walks. Also love the fact that it's a diet book with a cupcake on the cover. Classy.

Weekend Beauty Read

I've blogged about natural beauty expert Janice Cox before, but this awesome book was written by her daughter Lauren and the tips inside are endless. Not to mention, beautifully photographed. As I write this post from my iPhone, I am learning that you can use pure vanilla extract as an alluring evening scent and how to make a yummy strawberry cleanser. Great weekend reading for a natural beauty addict like myself. Check it out at Amazon!

-j

 

Sent from my iPhone

Ready for the 4th - The 4th Movie in the Twilight Saga, That Is...

As my Facebook status proudly states: "I am officially Eclipsed," and I SO don't care that it's Fourth of July weekend. In fact, I hardly noticed being so focused on figuring out a way to dodge obligations on my social calendar this weekend so I can sneak off to see the movie again. I know. I need help :) After seeing how amazing this 3rd movie was, I don't know if I can handle the 500-or-so days till the 4th book, Breaking Dawn, hits the big screen. Ugh...

On a beauty related note, I was surprised to get this email from the Mirage Hotel capitalizing on the whole Twilight fever ($68 Million on it's opening night - woohoo!!) with spa services to help you find your inner-Bella. Check it out:

The crazy part is Bella hardly wears a stitch of makeup and I am sure the last place on earth she'd want to visit is a spa. Why, when she can become Immortal and eternally beautiful with just one bite from her beloved Edward? To give you an idea, in Midnight Sun (Stephenie Meyer's unpublished draft available on her website), Edward describes Bella's beauty like this:

"I watched her as she lifted her face to the light rain with her eyes closed, a slight smile on her lips. What was she thinking? Something about this action seemed off, and I quickly realized why the posture looked unfamiliar to me. Normal human girls wouldn't raise their faces to the drizzle that way; normal human girls usually wore makeup, even here in this wet place.

Bella never wore makeup, nor should she. The cosmetics industry made billions of dollars a year from women who were trying to attain skin like hers."

...and with this line, I am forever motivated to take care of my skin so, I too, can look into the rain and not worry about the thick layer of makeup sliding off my face. Someday.

-j

Pen Pretty Reads: Eat, Pray, Love - The Sequel, New Twilight Eclipse Novella, and more...

NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS:

One thing I collect more than beauty products are tons of beauty books and this is one I definitely want in my library. It was a recommended read on my Amazon page and I was so bummed to find out I couldn't download it right away on my Kindle. It's not available till July! Ugh. Judging by my post on Friday about the failed Colorado bill, I think you can tell I am vigilant about knowing what I am putting on my skin, and this book seems to be right along the same lines. This Amazon description about what inspired the authors to write it had me sold:

"It started with a harmless quest for perfect wash-and-go hair. Every girl wants it, and Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt finally found it in a fancy salon treatment. They were thrilled—until they discovered that the magic ingredient was formaldehyde."

 

THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE:

All I can say is this book is truly indulgent for a romantic like myself (sigh). I am halfway through it and loving every word. It sort of feels like when I met Edward Cullen and Bella Swan for the first time in Twilight, but not nearly as fanatic. The story is basically a movie that transcends time, and about a girl who meets the man she is going to marry at the ripe 'ol age of 6 but their relationship moves along through a lifetime with a supernatural twist to it. Well, I think time travel is supernatural - but whatever, it sure makes a love affair that much more interesting to read than Fabio carrying some heroine off into the sunset. Ew.

 

COMMITTED:

I read Eat, Pray, Love a few years back and it really opened my eyes about what is important. I loved how Elizabeth Gilbert took me along to all these beautiful places with her, and showed me how to appreciate food in Italy, find peace with her spirituality in India, and experience what it feels like to really love unconditionally in Bali. At the end, she still remains a marriage skeptic, but in her newest book, she ends up having to get married to this amazing guy, and surprise! She comes to terms with it. I am about to dive into this book next and I can hardly wait to see what Ms. Gilbert is up to next. To get a literal taste of what Eat, Pray, Love is like - check out the trailer of the upcoming movie. So excited!

 

THE SHORT SECOND LIFE OF BREE TANNER

I just found out that Stephenie Meyer will be releasing a short book about the newborn vampire Bree Tanner on June 5th - just 25 days before the Eclipse movie premiers.  Remember her? The baby girl vamp who gets put down by the Volturi during the battle scene? You bet I've got it Wish Listed on Amazon. I don't even want to think about what I am going to do when the whole Twilight franchise is over. Please Stephenie, release Midnight Sun soon!

 

Ahh, the first day in April...time to re-group!

Phew! Last week was a whirlwind meeting friends, cooking, yoga and shopping without any need to rush things. These last couple of months have been absolutely heavenly, and while I know it won't last, I am definitely taking advantage of this indulgent time.

So for the April kick-off blog, I just want to put down in my Pen Pretty Journal all the things I am obsessed with during this heavenly hiatus. My plan is to make sure all these new things I have learned will stick in my next working life, since it's already a part of my life now. It's all about consistency, people! It's a true lesson in committing to something and sticking to it. You can talk all you want, but it's what you do that really counts.

DAILY YOGA:

Whether it's 20 minutes or an hour, I cannot get enough of Yoga Download. They have an amazing range of classes that fits into my schedule and I cannot go a day without it. My favorite classes are Yoga For Back Pain, Yoga For Weight Loss, and Hot Yoga. Yeah, you heard it here. You know those Bikram classes you pay and arm and a leg for? You can do it at home with a space heater and a small room. Amazing! They've just boosted their library of Slideshow classes which I highly recommend so you can see each pose right on your computer screen. I pay $87 a year to have unlimited classes and it's SO worth it.

COOK, EVERYDAY

It's amazing what happens when you start making your own food. Suddenly, things like boxed sugar cereals and sodas are taboo, while using your own ingredients puts you in more control over your weight, mood swings, and everything else sugar and preservatives adds to our unhealthy lifestyles. I've been fortunate to be able to cook all 3 meals daily because I have time, but even when I jump back into my writing career again, I will always be sure to (at least) make dinners, and my own homemade oatmeal to take to work for breakfast! Last night I made a chicken and saffron rice dish in my Le Creuset french oven and the flavors were so different compared to if you had bought the whole dish frozen. Oh, and don't even get me started on cupcakes. I am obsessed. The picture in this post is my inspiration for my next batch - how cute is that??? Cupcakes in a jar. Adorable.

LET'S SPA IT OUT, BITCH

Ok, that's a bit harsh but like the famous words of Ari Gold in Entourage, nothing says love like a good hug-out session, or for the beauty obsessed like myself, a daily pampering session. Whether it's in the morning or night, I am either doing a mask or light therapy session with my Tanda to keep my face perfect and line-free. Since I have a stash of goodies from my last beauty writing gig, I have been doing everything from peels, to scrubs, to my SK-II masks, and even whitening therapies to banish dark spots on my face. And even if you don't have the goods, you can still get a good facial in with steaming hot towels, an apricot scrub, and a hydrating yogurt mask straight from your kitchen.  If you have an hour, break it up like this:

20 minutes: cardio

20 minutes: yoga

20 minutes: facial

...and you're done! This way, you get it all out of the way in an hour and your beauty & soul are fed - with the glow to prove it! And vary it up a bit. I've been known to do weights with a mask on to make up for time!

LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD:

One thing this hiatus has taught me is that I have a lot of shit. And I mean A LOT! Right now, my husband and I have the guest bedroom stuffed to the gills with crap that needs to be filtered through and even dumped. It just nauseates me when I see that I have 10 black dresses and 20 pairs of jeans when I only wear maybe one or two out of the whole lot! Anyway, this month I will be putting one thing up on eBay everyday and whatever I don't sell goes to charity. After that, I will make it a point to put something up on eBay that I am not using once a week to keep the rotation (and eventual reduction) of junk moving. Now, before I go out and buy it, I make sure to see if I have it first. Try it. You'll be amazed at what you find. And hey, we could all use a little extra cash. Why not let go of that meaningless vase Aunt Vera bought you so you can get something you really want!

-j

It's been a week of bliss just relaxing and doing things just for me during this much needed break (i.e. reading, journaling, etc). I purposely shut off my Chat on Gmail and aimed to do 3 things everyday: a) 30-60 minutes of any form of exercise b) one beauty treatment of any kind, and c) meticulously clean one spot in the house. Moving forward, I think I could get used to this being my regimen everyday! -j

Let The French Cooking Begin!

I may love Japanese skincare, English literature, and Italian Haute Couture, but when it comes to adopting an entire lifestyle - France has my heart. It was this time last year I visited Paris for the first time and fell in love, so I was not surprised when friends would ask me if I'd seen Julie & Julia yet. Could it be the French connection and the fact that there is a devout blogger thrown in the mix that made my friends think of me when they saw this movie? Whatever it was, I was definitely pulled in. After watching it twice, I have been bit by the Julia bug and inspired by her life-changing experience in France. I loved seeing the scenes of Paris in all the seasons and also watching her cook with her Le Creuset French Ovens, two pieces that are already a staple in my kitchen. I bought the famous cookbook today and already am feeling the therapeutic effects these heartfelt recipes will have on my soul. It feels so natural, and makes me actually excited to cook in my less-than-standard kitchen. Who knew food and cooking could have such an effect on me? Thanks Julia for being such an inspiration and a beautiful person. Your infectious voice is etched in my brain forever. Bon Appetit! -j

Sent from my iPhone

Pen Pretty Inspiration: Blogging For Bliss by Tara Frey

via www.tarafrey.com

For anyone who's thinking of starting a blog, this book is so inspirational. The author interviews other inspiring bloggers and really nails the beauty of blogging. After reading her book, i've learned photography and design is equally as important as the content. Oh, and check out her blog www.bloggingforbliss.com. It's total eye candy! -j

My Christmas Wishlist/Gift Idea #1: Clothbound, Penguin Classic Books Of The Classics

 
 

Yeah, I know, total surprise, right? Bet you probably thought I would be wanting Twilight related books. But these gorgeous volumes speak volumes to me, and my love for beautiful books - especially when they are keepsake classics you will read forever. These would be a great gift for a bookworm on YOUR list, too! I SO would love all of them, but the absolute MUSTS I would want are: Pride & Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre. I saw them at Anthropologie during my Christmas shopping adventures, but you can also snag them at Amazon.

-j 

Pen Pretty Loves: French General

 

Just recently my brother has started crocheting to unleash another angle of his creative side, and as a result, I have been fascinated with the idea of making my own things - from clothing, to items for the home. We went to an adorable knitting store in our 'hood called "Bobbin's Nest" (such the perfect name for this adorable place) and I really got sucked into reading the French General books. The company is actually a craft store in L.A. that caters to sewing and home-making with a French flair. "Handmade Soirees" is definitely the next book on my wish list at Amazon, and when we buy our first house, I will definitely be putting my french crafting and cooking into full force. It's fitting, too, being that I love all things French. We went to Paris last winter and loved it, my favorite pot in my kitchen is my Le Crueset French Oven, my most beloved handbag is my Goyard tote, and oh yeah! I write for a French-owned company, Louis Vuitton. Hmm, scary. I never realized the similarities. No wonder these books piqued my interest. 

-j