July 2015 Favorites!

Hey y'all!

I can't believe that tomorrow is August 1st! Where did July go??? Or June for that matter...

I have a few favorites to share with you from the month of July. Every month, I will share some products (beauty, fashion, home decor, etc.) that I have been really loving over the course of the month. Find yourself a comfy spot, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy!

First up, an oldie but a goodie! Essie nail polish in "Fiji". This is one of my all time favorite shades to wear. When I lived in Texas I would get my nails done with Nexgen powder (which is amazing btw if you're in the Dallas area). I haven't found a salon out here that has that, so I have been doing gel. I do use regular polish on my toes though and Fiji is the perfect summer shade! It is such a pretty, creamy pale pink and is super pigmented. You could get away with just one coat, but I always use two.

Next up, is MAC pigment in the shade "Vanilla". I have had this pigment for years and I love it! It is a creamy, golden-white that is very shimmery. I have been wearing it as eyeshadow over the last month (also gorgeous as a highlight). I use a little MAC Fix+ to apply it. I wear it with some warm browns in the crease and black liner. It's perfect for day or night!

The. Best. Summer. Fragrance. Oh my gosh y'all, I just love Bobbi Brown's "Beach" perfume! It smells like sunscreen and tropical, beachy goodness. I bought it at the end of last month and have worn it nearly everyday. I got the rollerball because I wasn't sure how much I would really wear the scent. The rollerball is great because I can easily throw it in my bag and I am good to go.

So truth be told, I've only had this gloss for about a week! I know that's cheating but I can't help but include it because it is already a favorite!!! This lipgloss by Nars is called "Baby Doll". It is a medium, candy pink with lots of pretty shimmer. It is the ultimate "Barbie" lipgloss! I have been wearing it alone, with just lip liner, and over lipstick. I swear it is beautiful over any shade of lipstick. This is a must have for any girly girl's collection!

Confession...I have such a hard time drinking water. It tastes like nothing! I would much rather be drinking coffee, diet coke, or wine! But, I do know how important it is to drink lots of water so I force myself everyday...until now! This Hint water is amazing and I drink it willingly. The label says it has zero diet sweeteners, zero calories, zero preservatives, vegan, gluten free, non-gmo, and all natural. It is just purified water with natural flavors. My favorite is the watermelon flavor! I can't get enough! 

Oh Tory, you've done it again! I have been really enjoying my Tory Burch York Buckle Tote. It is the perfect bag to take into to the city, to work, or just out and about! It has tons of storage room and the cognac color goes with literally everything. It also comes in different colors if this one is not your cup of tea!

Last, but certainly not least, is my most worn item for the month. This Kendra Scott Elisa Gold Pendant in Iridescent Drusy is sparkly perfection. I love how dainty it is and it can be dressed up or down. I wear this with t-shirts and dresses! I am all about sparkles so this one was made for me!

Shop My Favorites:

Essie Fiji nail polish

MAC Vanilla Pigment

Bobbi Brown Beach rollerball

Nars Baby Doll lipgloss

Hint water

Tory Burch York Buckle Tote

Kendra Scott Elisa Gold Pendant in Iridescent Drusy

I hope you all had a great month of July! Now, bring on the fall!!!!!

Heat Wave!

Hey y'all!

So we are having a major heat wave in the bay area this week! Being from Texas, I'm no stranger to heat, but out here most homes do not have air conditioning. That is something I am not used to! It's been in the 90's this week so I have been doing everything possible to stay cool. Fortunately, it does drop to the 60's at night so it cools everything down. Things are supposed to start cooling off around here soon so I'm keeping my fingers crossed! 

Today I thought I would share some tips for staying cool in the summer. Or at least, some of the things that have been working for me this week!

First off, my summer uniform. I have been living in boyfriend shorts. They're super comfy and flattering. I have a couple different styles that I rotate. The ones I have on are are a longer version from Target. Love. I also have to be wearing a tank top when it's hot out. Love this one from Loft. Super soft and I really like the higher neckline. Of course, in the summer you need some great sandals. These beautiful black and gold ones are from Tory Burch. I love how they dress up the outfit enough so I could wear this out shopping or running errands and still feel ready to go out and grab dinner with the hubs. Check out my go-to summertime look below!

When I had long hair, I would wear my hair in a top knot all the time. This is my short hair version! Keeps your hair off of your face so you can stay cool.

When it's really hot outside, I tend to grab for a smaller cross body bag. I can't handle having a big bag under my arm when I am sweating! Can I get an amen???

I'm always shocked when I see girls decked out in heavy or bulky jewelry when it's a million degrees outside! For me, I always opt for studs and a more dainty necklace. Love these from Kendra Scott!

 Outfit Details:

Boyfriend shorts are from Target, similar here and here / Top is old from Loft, similar here and on sale for $15 and similar here on sale for only $7 / Shoes are Tory Burch and on major sale right now! / Bag is old from Coach, similar here / Necklace is Kendra Scott in Turquoise / Earrings are Kendra Scott in Iridescent Drusy

Today is kinda like a double post because I also have a great summer recipe to share!!! This is one of my favorites in the summertime. Recipe is courtesy of my Momma! It's easy, delicious, and perfect for hot summer nights. Don't skip on the marinade (it is seriously the best!).

Steak Salad

1 pound  grilled flank steak (marinate in 1 Tbsp whiskey and 1Tbsp balsamic vinegar)

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed and torn

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1 cup canned cannelloni beans (white kidney beans) rinsed and drained

1 pear, cored and sliced (pears weren't looking to good so I opted for a green apple this time)

Blue cheese to taste

Dressing:

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard

 

It may not be the prettiest salad, but it is so tasty and perfect for hot summer nights!

Last but not least, make sure you crank up Keith Urban's "Long Hot Summer" and pour yourself a cold drink and you are good to go! Stay cool friends!

Friday Night By The Bay

Hey y'all!

So last Friday was the end of the fourth quarter for my hubby's job. It's a HUGE deal in the sales world. Matt's office had some happy hours planned in the afternoon to celebrate, so I went downtown to join in on the fun! Nothing says "Friday" like free drinks and snacks by the water!

The weather has been surprisingly warm for this time of year. You know the famous Mark Twain saying..."The coldest winter I ever spent, was a summer in San Francisco"? Well, definitely not true for this summer! However, it does get pretty chilly at night especially by the water. I wanted to be comfortable because I knew we'd be walking to a few different spots. I also could not wait to bust out this amazing tunic from the #Nsale. It is so comfy and breezy! I also wanted to still feel summery so I paired it with white denim and my Tory sandals. Ignore the crazy hair because it was WINDY!

Hope your week is off to a great start! Check out my outfit details below.

Tunic is from Nordstrom / White denim is from Loft (size down, they run big!) / Sandals are Tory Burch / Tote is Tory Burch / Leopard belt is old from Loft, similar (and cheaper) here / Earrings are Kendra Scott / Necklace is Kendra Scott / Watch is Kate Spade / Sunglasses are Target

Farmer's Market

Hey y'all!

One of the things I love most about living in the Bay Area is the abundance of farmer's markets available. We are fortunate to have a great one right down the street from our house. Iced coffee + Pad Thai + fresh flowers = one lovely afternoon! Plus, we brought home some hummus and pita chips from our favorite spot, "The Hummus Guy". Love.

The afternoons can be pretty warm so I wanted to make sure I wore something light and airy. For me, a great go-to option is a chambray dress. I love this one from Loft!! You can easily dress it up or down. I paired it with my favorite Target heels (so comfy!!) and my Tory tote so that I would have lots of room to carry all of our farmer's market goodies. Hope you're having a great Sunday!

See my outfit details below!

My dress is no longer available, but I found some similar options that are on SALE here , here , and here. / Shoes are from Target (the ones linked aren't exact, but they are pretty darn similar!) / Tote is Tory Burch  / Earrings are Kendra Scott / Necklace is Kendra Scott / Flower hair clip is old from Anthropology  

Liner Love

Hey y'all!

Happy Friday! Today I wanted to talk about my undying love of lip liner. Growing up in the 90s, lip liner was a very strong trend. I always loved the look, but I didn't start wearing liner until I graduated from college. I think getting my first "big girl job" warranted me the right to start wearing what I thought of as a grown up makeup look. My first lip liner (and all my first "high end" makeup for that matter) was by Clinique. It was a natural, rosy shade that I wore every single day. I wore it with a glittery MAC lip gloss (very grown up, I know...haha!). I used that liner until it was worn down to a little nub of a pencil. Good times.

For a good while, lip liners were virtually unseen in the beauty world. I never let go of the hope that they would make a comeback. Over the last couple of years, my prayers have been answered! Now that I am a little bit older and have played around with a lot of different shades and brands, I have a few holy grail liners that I swear by. I think that MAC and Urban Decay make the best liners. Both have very different formulas and I like them for different reasons.

For day to day, I reach for my MAC liners in the shades Dervish, Half-Red, or Stripdown. Dervish is a natural mauve-y pink (reminds me of my first Clinique shade!) that goes with nearly every lipstick color and is beautiful on it's own with a lipgloss. I discovered Half-Red when a makeup artist used it on me while I was a bridesmaid in my friend's wedding. I would describe it as a deep, brownish pink with a subtle red tint. I am absolutely obsessed wearing it with the MAC lipsticks in Faux and Brave. Finally, Stripdown is a nude brown color. Perfect with nude or brown toned lipstick (helloooo 90s lip color!).

When I am doing a bold lip, I reach for my Urban Decay liners. They are a creamier formula that I find really locks in the color so it doesn't budge from my lips. My favorite red lip combo is UD's liner and lipstick in the shad 69. It is the most perfect, classic red lip. In the fall, I love to wear a vampy, deep purple lip and for that I use the shade Venom. When I want to do a magenta, bright pink lip, I love Anarchy. A recent favorite of mine is the shade Liar which is a brownish mauve.

Check out the swatches below of my liner favorites!

UD liners (L to R) Liar, Anarchy, Venom, and 69

MAC liners (L to R) Stripdown, Half-Red, and Dervish

I am always on the hunt for new liners. Let me know your favorites! Shop my favorite liners using the links in the captions above.

#Nsale

Hey y'all!

Happy *almost* Friday! Today I thought I would share some of the items that I picked up from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. This was the first year I really took advantage of the sale by picking up some key pieces for fall. Living in Texas it is always so hot in July so it's hard to think about buying boots and sweaters. Living in the Bay Area though has rocked my world weather wise! It is currently about 72 degrees (which is fall weather in Texas!) so it made it really easy to imagine myself wrapped up in a blanket scarf and sipping on a pumpkin spice latte. Plus, the weather in San Francisco is always chilly in the mornings and evenings especially when the fog is rolling in. Being budget conscious, I wanted to pick up some fall essentials that can be styled multiple ways and be worn all season. I linked the items below. I'm still waiting on a few of them to come in. Keep checking back to see how I style these pieces this fall!

#Nsale Picks 2015

Shift Dress I got this color

                                                  

Tunic I got this color and white

                         

                                    Blanket Scarf I got this color

Cowl Neck Sweater I got this color

                                          

                                                 Cardigan  I got this in an olive green color

Over the knee boots I got the brown color

 Similar here (and cheaper!)

I also couldn't resist the NARS lip set. I absolutely love these lippies! I wore the shade Cruella on my wedding day. They are so pigmented and have great staying power. You also don't need to use a lip liner (although I usually do) so they are quick and easy. The sets comes in two colors: True NARS (bold reds and pinks) and Ultimate NARS (softer neutrals). I got the Ultimate NARS set because they were shades that I don't have in my collection. I am really loving the lilac color from the set. It is so pretty and I like to wear this type of shade year round (not just for spring!). I think it looks so pretty paired with burgundy and olive green colors. The nude and mauve colors in the kit are beautiful everyday neutrals. Overall, I highly recommend this set!!

Lip Set 

Stay tuned to see how I style my picks. Be sure to check out the sale for yourself, but be quick! It ends August 3rd. Happy shopping!

Wednesdays with Winston

Hey y'all!

Today I thought I would share a little bit about my fur baby, Winston Lakin!

We adopted Winston from a wonderful no-kill shelter called Operation Kindness while we were still in Dallas. Check out their website here. My husband had grown up with golden retrievers and was adamant that we would get a big dog. I on the other hand, was leaning more towards a little lap dog...or even a cat! But when we met our little Winston, Matt and I both knew he was the perfect addition to our little family.

          

Meet Winston Lakin!

Winston and Piggy, BFFs

Winston loves to play fetch and chew on his ball. Thank goodness for the Chuck-It Whistler balls. Before we discovered those Winston had destroyed MANY tennis balls!!! He also loves to play tug and has several toys that are very well loved. His favorites right now are Crocodile and Piggy. Winston also thinks he is a lap dog. At 50 pounds, he still climbs on up and sits right on your lap. He loves to snuggle and get belly rubs. We've taught him a few tricks too! My favorite is when he gives "high fives". He does it with both paws though so it looks more like he's praising the Lord!!! Presh.
             
Winston is a very protective puppy. He is especially protective of his momma! While we were living in Dallas, I had a hard time taking him on walks around our neighborhood because as soon as he would see other dogs or people walking, he would bark and pull and act aggressively. This of course stressed me out! Winston is the biggest sweetheart and I wanted other people to see that too. Such a blessing that where we live now, people are VERY dog friendly! People out walking their dogs take the time to let the dogs meet (aka sniff some booties...) which has been so helpful for Winston's socialization. He is becoming so friendly with strangers and other dogs and it fills this dog momma's heart with so much joy!!!

My lil snuggle bug

Walking around the marsh is one of our favorite things!

Unfortunately, we had a traumatic experience when flying Winston to San Francisco. I will save that (and the news story that went along with it...hello we just moved here and were on TV!) for another blog. Maybe I'll make Wednesdays with Winston a regular thing?!

Any other dog mommas out there??? I'd love to hear about your babies! southerninsanfran@gmail.com

Meatless Monday...On a Tuesday!

Hey y'all!

So today I am bringing you a new favorite #MeatlessMonday recipe. I make an effort to cook dinner Monday-Thursday. Weekends are pretty much off limits as far as the kitchen goes around here! About 6 months ago we (and by "we" I mean, "I") decided to embrace the idea of meatless Monday. It can be a challenge at times to find yummy recipes that the hubs approves of. Tofu is not allowed! We rely on pasta and Mexican dishes for the most part. Last week I tried a new recipe that was delish and husband approved! It's all made in one pot which makes cleanup a cinch. I found the recipe on Pinterest (duh). Check out the original recipe here

One Pot Tomato Basil Pasta
I adjusted the original recipe a little to make it for two :)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes (that have been packed in olive oil)
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoons salt 
• 1 package bucatini pasta (it's like thick spaghetti!)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• (1) 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
• 
  
• Add olive oil to a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium-heat. Add the sun dried tomatoes and the cherry tomatoes; mix well to coat. Partially cover the pan and allow the mixture to cook for 6 minutes - or until the cherry tomatoes have burst (they will legit burst open, steer clear!) and released most of their juices - stirring once or twice. Add in the garlic, crushed red pepper. black pepper, and salt, stir well, and cook for 2 minutes.
• 
  
• Add the bucatini into the pot, then pour in the vegetable broth, water, and tomato paste. Increase the heat to high, and - using a wooden spoon - gently break up the tomato paste, stirring it into the water/broth mixture. Allow the mixture to come to a rapid boil.
• 
  
• Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently, until pasta is cooked and the sauce has nearly evaporated, about 14 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in the basil, and cover for 5 minutes.
• 
  
• Serve with extra chopped fresh basil and parmesan cheese!!
• 
  

Of course I had to take quick selfie while cooking...

Seriously so good!!!

I found that wine REALLY makes me a better cook! Or maybe it just relaxes me so I don't stress about making things *just right*. I served this pasta with a salad and toasted garlic bread and got two thumbs up from Matt Lakin so I'd call the dinner a win!!