Dermalogica Giveaway winner is....

Kristyn Greco-Seyfi !!!

Her favorite beauty product is Multivitamin Power Firm by Dermalogica.

Congrats! Look for a package in the mail!

Dermalogica Giveaway!

#500DaysOfBeauty is getting all kinds of goodies for the Fall!

Who wants some!?

Comment below with your favorite beauty product and I'll pick a winner in a few days!

Sound Sensation Will Help Make Your Big Day Sensational!

Recently I’ve been to several wedding receptions—too many—in which the DJ was either too loud, too involved, or not involved enough in the festivities, thus making the evening less than spectacular for the guests. 

Thank goodness, Sound Sensation DJs, and its proprietor Frank Raffa, breaks this trend. Sound Sensation takes the time to listen to the bride and groom and plan ahead for a fantastic evening. They move the party along at a brisk but reasonable pace, allowing for special requests and mini-events within the reception. 

Sound Sensation employs a sophisticated online party planning system that allows for the scheduling of toasts, dances, and more, aligning them with specific songs. It also allows you to request as much music as you like, and if it’s out there, Frank and his team will find it and play it. It makes planning a breeze. A week or so before your event, Sound Sensation will meet with you, ensuring that your reception goes off without a hitch. 

For instance, I planned to sing a song to my beautiful bride, Christine, about halfway through the reception. It required my use of the DJ’s PA system, and we needed to mic my brother’s acoustic guitar for the accompaniment. No problem! Frank mic’ed the guitar flawlessly, and the song went over beautifully. 

Frank was able to move the party along at an excellent pace while still allowing the guests to relax and have a wonderful time. There was plenty of dancing, and Frank played some of my favorite folk-rock tunes as well as some popular line-dances and modern dance music. 

We decided against having some of the more traditional elements at our reception, like the bouquet toss and garter throw. Instead, Frank suggested an Anniversary Dance, in which all the married couples came out to the dance floor, and one by one sat down until only the couple married for the longest time was left. It was a poignant moment and an excellent substitute. 

In short, I’d recommend Sound Sensation for your wedding reception, party, bar or bat mitzvah, or any event, heartily and without reservation. They’re experienced, service-oriented, and reasonably priced, and sure to make your event truly “sensational.”

Written by my husband, Stephen M Trimble

PS- Today is our wedding anniversary of 4 months!

Pantry Escapades: Tacos Bake, Mason Jar Oatmeal, and Scones

Since our wedding, we’ve gotten into the takeout routine, and now are trying to cut back on that to save money. 

We belong to the local CSA, and yesterday Steve got some wonderful cantaloupe, tomatoes, squash, carrots, onions and peppers. Being a part of the CSA is interesting because every week we anticipate what we are going to get, as opposed to going to the farmers market and specifically picking out corn, etc.  It’s made me a more innovative cook.

Last night I pulled out the canned chicken, seasonings, cornbread mix and thawed black beans and corn (that I had made from a bag o beans, soaked and had several containers of beans, for 49 cents). Steve chopped up the peppers and onion, and we had ourselves a taco bake- I poured the prepared cornbread mix (Jiffy, 25 cents) on top of the seasoned taco mixture and baked. YUM! Plus, lunch for today.

I also made chocolate chip scones (thanks to pal Ronnie’s present for my bridal shower- a basket of Trader Joe’s goodies!).

AND I tried Mason Jar Oatmeal. We got many generous wedding gifts, many of which were gift cards to Williams-Sonoma. I got the apple cinnamon cranberry steel cut oats for $5.99 (not a terrible price, but still too high and too full of sugar and flavorings).

I didn’t love all the added stuff, so I added a pouch of Trader Joe’s organic flax and oats to the Mason jar to cut the sweetness, along with a scoop of the WS oats, a cup of boiling water from my glorious Cuisinart PerfecTemp kettle, plus nutmeg, honey, and walnut. I mixed it up, put the lid on, and let it sit, and cool. Before bed I put it in the fridge.

I wasn’t sure how it would be bc I usually do microwave insta-oats in the am, and it’s never any trouble.

But, early this morning at work, there were no bowls, spoons or even cups to be found, so I ate it cold out of the jar. (the mason jar wouldn’t fit in the microwave either!)

And it was good!

I was sick earlier this week, and still have a cough, but I decided to work out today, and was hungry. The oats-in-a-jar were creamy, satisfying, and tasty. I’ll make a bigger portion next week and add in more things from my pantry: cranberries, almonds, cashews, nutmeg, cinnamon, and honey.

DINNER: Seafood Alfredo Trimble…cream, parmesan, peppers, onions, tomatoes, frozen shrimp and canned crabmeat (again, all pantry and CSA items!) over pasta

Ex-pat Kari Martindale is on the Move in Her New 50 by 30 Book!

When good friend and ex-pat Kari Martindale came out with this book, 50 by 30, I was so excited! It’s a great read, funny, happy, and quite engaging. Kari makes fun of herself a lot and you will find yourself identifying with her roadtrips, her family, and her friends. Jump in and go for a ride with Kari and see all 50 states here!

Q: 50 by 30 is a fun title- I get it!

A: It's simple, really: I was 30 when I visited my 50th State; completed all 50 by 30. It's catchy! However, if I'd known when I titled the book the importance of key search words, I might not have chosen a title that blends in with extension cords and men's pant sizes in Amazon search results. 

Q: What’s your favorite state to visit and why?
A: That's tough. Who can pick a favorite out of fifty?! Overall, my favorite state to visit has to be my home state of Pennsylvania for its green trees, distinct accents, historic stone farmhouses, and mouth-watering greasy foods. (YEAH PA!!)
Outside of my home state, there's Utah, which is filled with raw beauty; California, which has more variety than one could ask for, from mountain to ocean with desert and Sequoia trees in between; and, as a fan of roadside America, South Dakota.

Q: Globetrotting is your job right now- what’s a challenge you’ve overcome?
A: It's tough living away from family and close friends. (Kari and fam – husband Paul, daughter Sequoia, and doggie Flash- currently live in Germany) The novelty of expat life, the novelty of globetrotting--it wears off after a while. I've had to overcome the resulting isolation, which in our move to Germany was compounded by my inability to communicate. I had to learn German, fast. Although I can get by in several languages, my languages don't cover the whole globe. I don't let communication barriers stop me when deciding on destinations, though. There's always charades. 

As a writer, being an expat is difficult because you can't beat the pavement like emerging authors in the States can do. I can't do book signings, tours, etc. That has been another definite challenge.

Q: What is a travel tip for someone who’s never had their passport inked?
A: You mean, more than just, "GO!"?
I find it essential to keep a sense of humor about your travels. Whether you've walked several miles in the heat of August in Rome (Rome in August again, Kari? Will you never learn?) to a restaurant that's closed or found yourself trekking through an unexpected snowfall and flooded trails in sandals and socks in Croatia, you need to be able to laugh about it. Remember that the most memorable trips aren't just the ones with amazing views--they're also the ones that go awry.

But more practically, know your travel party and know yourself. My favorite thing to plan is a group trip. For example, I enjoy finding a destination that is simultaneously fun for my 8-year-old, relaxing for my husband, and quirky for me. It's important to understand each member in a travel party so that everyone has a great time. Also, know yourself. Where are you willing to splurge and where aren't you? Figure out how to spend your money ahead of time. If you're a foodie, maybe stay somewhere cheap and splurge on restaurants. If you're looking for amazing service and views, splurge on the hotel. If you're not looking forward to a long flight, splurge on your ticket to make it a direct flight if possible, perhaps with extra legroom or an upgrade, and think about going directly through the airline and not a discount site if you're nervous about being bumped or separated from your companions--airlines worry about their own customers first.

Q: What is one of the best souvenirs you’ve ever gotten and where?
A: Hmmm...lately we've been trying to be practical about our souvenirs, so my current favorite is probably all of the dishes we brought back from Poland. Every day, we use these vibrant works of art and remember picking individual pieces out from stacks on shop floors and eating pierogis out of deep dishes in local restaurants. Of a less practical nature, I really like the cow bell we picked up in the Alps. It reminds me of the unexpected procession of cows and traditionally-dressed locals walking down the street right past our car as the sound of the bells echoed through the misty valley.

Q: What brought on the desire to write this book?

A: To be honest, I was working a fictional novel when, during Nanowrimo 2013, I happened to be casually re-reading my own writing about various trips. I realized that I had enough to write a full-length book. I then culled old journals, emails, photos, scrapbooks--everything--and found that I'd documented so many details that I could accurately represent the experiences even years later, often in my original words. I think it's a little self-indulgent to write a memoir-esque book, so I tried to focus on the adventures and not too much on myself.

Q: Anything new up and coming?
A: Absolutely. I just finished a humorous children's picture book, "The Day Flash Couldn't Even," which is currently with an illustrator. We will try the traditional publishing route, but if it doesn't pan out within our desired timeframe, we'll go indie. I have another, more serious children's book that I finished a few years ago, "Sophia's Surgery," which I'll have him look at next if our visions continue to mesh.

Right now, I'm working on a novel based on my travels with Some Guy's Hat--a typical 1950's felt German hat filled with souvenir pins. I picked it up at a flea market in the Black Forest and am now visiting all of these towns that some guy found interesting enough to visit 50+ years ago. Although the novel started out as non-fiction, I'm looking at fictionalizing it. Depending upon which way I go, the working titles are either "Some Guy's Hat" or "June's Hat." When I'm not inspired to work on that one, I revisit "It's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature," the fictional novel that I've been working on for years. I'm stuck about two thirds of the way through. I just don't know how the main characters are going to logically get from the US to the Middle East for their purposes, in a manner that won't break the suspension of disbelief.

Q: Where’s your next trip?
A: The next trip that lasts longer than 2-3 days, is a road trip with a family of five. There will be 8 of us (and that includes an 11-month-old) sweating in August in a van crossing Germany, Belgium, France, England, and the Netherlands. It should be a hot mess.
I'll try to find the time to live tweet (@ingermanyabroad), instagram (karilogue), and blog (karilogue.com) the adventure!

Read this book! Then read Kari’s blogs! As a writer, finding good writing is essential, and finding a friend who has this much adventure, fun, humility, and talent makes Kari the rockstar traveler of Europe! One of the best things about Kari is that she says/writes what others are thinking...because you KNOW you are thinking it too.

 I love reading her posts, and you will too! Read 50 by 30 and follow Kari on her travels.

(All pictures are from  Karilogue.com)

My Wedding Advice Checklist

Well, Steve and I have been married for about 4 1/2 months now, and it's been pretty great! A lot of good friends got married this year (I'm looking at you Tonya, Amy, and Emily!) and we all had little things we learned throughout the day!

I'm never going thru all that ever again, even though it was a fantastic day, and so here is my wedding advice to new brides-to-be!

My Wedding Reception Checklist:

-Drink a Gatorade at the reception and eat a banana before bed to ward off crippling Charlie horses that make you wake up in terror the next morning. 

- Def have the makeup artists and hair stylists come to your house, relaxing and saves time, and special thanks to S and E!!

- Hold on to your Dadu, it's a special day for him too!

- Eat! Don't get drunk! ( I think I drank maybe 2 drinks) and I somehow had NO coffee all day!! Ppl kept coming up to me while I had dinner but I ate most of my delicious dinner.

- But drink water!!!!

-Don't get shanghaied by old ladies at the reception. This one lady kept commanding me to sit bc she had a picture she wanted to show me. When I went back to her table a second time, she sniffed, you sit down now. When I was called away again she goes you keep leaving! And I'm like yeah. I'm busy, I've got 178 guests to see. Later, she proceeded to show me a pic of ppl who didn't come to the reception. I was like, yeah ok? The next morning she loudly proclaimed I should be in the kitchen cooking for us bc my mommy isn't going to do it for me, I'm married now and have to cook and clean. 
(ha)

- Surround yourself with positive happy people who want the best for you.
I didn't want to believe it, but there will always be people who feel the need to impart their jealousies to others about you. And forget them. Your wedding day is about you- not about others' petty feelings. If they love you, they will be there for you, and talk things out if needed. 

- White yoga pants under your dress feel awesome. (Bc I love my yoga pants, and you can too)they were like bloomers!!

- A limo is not a necessity. 

- Enjoy the hell out of your day!

-Have your reception at a hotel if possible.
Our wedding was on a Friday. We all stayed over at the awesome wonderful Hilton Valley Forge in King of Prussia on 202 where we had the BEST RECEPTION EVER! 200 people had the times of their lives! It was glorious just going right upstairs to relax and change, then we all hung out in the bar downstairs.
Then, we all woke up and enjoyed a breakfast buffet that my parents had included for all our guests. After that us newlyweds checked out, went home, took a nap, then relaxed and had Thai food and champagne. 

On Sunday, my parents hosted a picnic at their house and many of the guests came over and we hung out and grilled and relaxed with family and friends.

- Plan to leave on your honeymoon a few days later! 
We left on Monday, so we had the whole weekend to relax, rehydrate and see visitors and friends. We flew to Orlando on Monday afternoon and arrived in time for a fabulous lobster dinner out after checking into our timeshare at the Hilton tuscany Resort...and then onto Harry Potter World at Universal! 

Honeymoons are glorious.
I suggest you all have one!

Thanks again everyone who was a part of our wedding day!!! Stephen and I thank you and love you!!

MealEnders: A Sweet Little Something to Curb Overeating

You all know the feeling…You’ve just eaten a delicious meal and you totally want more…

…You are at work and you ate your healthy lunch but it’s your boss’s birthday and the team brought in cupcakes…

What is a person to do? Many people turn to mints or glug water or coffee in an effort to stave off that ‘I want more’ feeling and many of the time, your good intentions don’t last.

Enter MealEnders!

These signaling lozenges actually dismiss the desire to eat more than needed! They have no drugs or chemicals or stimulants, and work on sensory science and behavioral psychology. It's all in the tingling!

We all want something sweet after a meal, but don’t want to overeat. And you may not always want to pop a mint just yet. MealEnders are double layered- first with a sweet ‘reward’ layer, and then a cooling inner core which cleanses the palate. 

The key is to suck on the lozenge, don’t bite it. The time it takes to dissolve- for up to 20 minutes it takes for the full experience to subside, thusly signaling to your brain you are full and done your meal. MealEnders help you with portion control and recognizing your body’s own full signals, and empower a sense of control.

They come in four flavors: Chocolate Mint, Cinnamon, Mocha, and Citrus.
They are also FDA approved, have only 15 calories, and are kosher and gluten-free.

The other layer of chocolate, or cinnamon or the other flavors tastes quite good, almost like a melty M&M, and the inside slowly begins to cool your mouth over 10 minutes.

I've tried MealEnders at work after lunch, in the middle of the day before dinner, and after dinner when ice cream is just screaming my name. I, by no means, deprive myself, but it's good to curb the desire to overeat when I'm nearing fullness. And you aren't ingesting chemicals or diet pills, nor are you eating somethign that doesn't taste good.

Buy today at MealEnders.com or find out where to buy near you. Or order here!

Mid-Summer Beach Bag Essentials You Must Have!

Summer isn’t over, bitches, it’s just heating up! We still have a huge amount of sun-filled happy hours ahead of us!

Here are the 9 essentials you MUST HAVE in your beach (or pool) bag!

A fabulous bag. I love seahorses. My bag has seahorses! Yay! Found at Cape May Wicker (near Avalon, NJ) for just $9.99, I couldn’t pass this up. In fact, I wish I had bought more! There’ so many to choose from, bags with seahorses, anchors, polka dots and more to be found just about anywhere. Make sure it can hold all your goodies. I always find my favorite bags on a whim in my favorite beach town or in a small shoppe in Manhattan or in my village of Phoenixville.

This Draper James by Reese Witherspoon Vanderbilt tote is adorabs, y'all!

A Soft Towel. I adore this Reserved towel from Kate Spade! Classy and comfortable, this towel is a lounge must-have.

0

A Sassy Water Bottle. with so many cute tumblers and water bottles out there, it’s no excuse not to stay hydrated! One Kings Lane always have great drink holders. My favorite one for this summer came from Target, mint-green chevrons.

Smart Sunblock. All too often, sunscreen on your face clogs your pores, makes you breakout, or is too strong and makes your face all shiny. There has got to be a way to combine skin safety and beauty, right? RIGHT!?  Luckily, there is! 

Brush On Block is SPF 30, and goes over your face- and your makeup- with one easy application, and keeps you protected. I don't want skin problems, and I love the sun, so we are cheering creators Susan Posnick and Andrea Wetsel! Plus, your whole family can use this- it is a mineral powder, but not like your son (or nephew or boyfriend) is going to feel like he is putting on makeup. 

A Mini Bag with Maximum Attitude. This Lilly Pulitzer bag was a gift and it's too cute! Perfect for extra cash, lipgloss and your cell phone, keeping a little pouch around for goodies keeps it safe from sun and sand.

Exfoliating Face Cloths. Keep your face looking fabulously fresh with Ole Henrickson’s the clean truth cleansing cloths. Loaded with Vitamin C and Green tea and more, these skin brightening cloths feel great after a day of playing.

Soft Ellelauri Carly tunic. My good friend and designer Liz Rymar makes Made-in-the-USA clothes as gorgeous as she is! As a beach cover-up or an après-swim drinks outfit, this fun and trendy striped Ellelauri frock will keep you looking sultry. And don’t miss Ellelauri‘s summer sale in Philly and Avalon locations with 30-50% off apparel and accessories!

A Healthy Deodorant. Stay fresh with Crystal Essence mineral deodorant roll-on, sprays, or towelettes.
Portable, environmentally conscious, and keeps you smelling great in scents such as Chamomile & Green Tea, Lavender & White Tea, Pomegranate, and Vanilla Jasmine.
I love everything on offer bc the varieties are so light and fresh, not heavily scented.
Plus, they have the absolute best customer service!!!
Order here!

The Must Haves! And don't forget your favorite bathing suit and sunglasses...Betsey Johnson of course!

Fill up your water bottle and grab a good book ( love my Marian Keyes! Plus, have you read Blake Crouch's Pines!?)

So what's in your beach bag?? What essentials must you have? Because summer ain't over yet!

And now..I'm off to the beach!

#500DaysOfBeauty