Zoya’s Pixie Dust Nail Polish in London, a gray with silver glitter ($9). Available now at Zoya counters and online.
Zoya’s Pixie Dust Nail Polish in London
Archives for 2013
Lunch at SPQR Restaurant in San Francisco
I had lunch last Friday at SPQR, an Italian-inspired restaurant in San Francisco’s Fillmore district. The food was good but the portions were on the smaller side, so you may need to order a few plates to feel full.
Two Ways to Win a $50 eGift Card From Sephora!
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Aida! Congratulations, Aida! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
Uh, oh… Looks like someone partied a little too hard this weekend. 🙂
I don’t know if you knew this about Tabs, but he’s actually part Irish on his father’s side.
Yup, he totally gets into St. Patrick’s Day every year. Green gravy, Feline Greenies, the whole nine yards.
We have to celebrate at home now, though, because he got banned from both of Novato’s Irish bars, which, of course, means I have to plan the party.
Okay, ’nuff of that. Happy Saturday and St. Patrick’s Day weekend! 
I haven’t seen any rainbows or pots of gold yet this morning, but I did find a Sephora eGift card giveaway…
Good luck! Details to enter are down below.
What folks are saying…
“Hi Karen!!! Wow, that news definitely gets a hoo ray ray and an elephant!!! (I’ve maybe been watching too much Boardwalk Empire.) Thank you so much!!!”
-Shana“What a lovely surprise it was to see your announcement (after completing one of many exams/papers/projects I have this crazy week)! The eCard will definitely ease expenses for this broke, beauty-obsessed college student. Thank you, Karen and Tabs!!”
-Katie“Thanks so much, Karen. Just in case you were wondering what I got with it, I decided to go with the Clarisonic Mia–I’ve been wanting it for years now, but have never purchased it because of the price. Your eCard helped me finally buy it! I look forward to using it. Thanks again!”
-Jane“Shut the front door! OMG Karen, you have made my day. 🙂 I’m sick in bed with the flu and this has just cheered me up immensely!!!!!!!! BTW, I’m the one that sent you that pic of my pug in a wig a few weeks back LOL! Thanks again, honestly, I’m beyond giddy right now.”
-Angel“Thank you SO much Karen! OMG! Wishes really do come true! I can’t believe I won! You have no idea how much this will help me through the holidays. I’ve been an avid fan of your blog for the past two years. Your witty and creative entries, informative makeup information, and beautiful photos have kept me hooked. I look forward to more of it. Goodness, you’ve
seriously just made my week and it’s only Tuesday night!”
-Zharlynne“Oh my goodness! Thank you so much Karen (and Tabs, of course)! I really appreciate this! I’d been eyeing the Anastasia brow pencil in Strawburn to match my red hair!”
-Chelsea (and Jiji the kitten and Quincy the bunny)
- One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (international readers, you may opt to receive $50 sent by PayPal instead).
- There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, are you going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? What’s your favorite green nail polish? Do you ever wear tennis shoes to work? When was the last time you wore green eye shadow? What are you doing this weekend? When was the last time you took a bubble bath? Have you ever been to Ireland? — you get the idea.
- Second, you can enter by following me on
Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
- Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/ZDUijX
- The deadline to enter is Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 11:59PM (PT).
- Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
- A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
- Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
- Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. International winners may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal instead.
- Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
- The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Aida! Congratulations, Aida! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂
Flowers For You
Happy Saturday!
Zoya’s Pixie Dust Nail Polish in Nyx
Zoya’s Pixie Dust Nail Polish in Vespa, a periwinkle with silver glitter ($9). Available now at Zoya counters and online.
Yes, no, maybe so?
Opening Day! A Look Inside the New NARS 2050 Fillmore Boutique in San Francisco
New favorite plaaaace! 🙂
Poor El Hub. Now when we visit San Francisco together, he’ll have to find something to do while I play with makeup at the new NARS 2050 Fillmore Boutique.
My first observation: there are no man couches in the store. Nowhere to park El Hub while I peruse, so I guess I’ll just have to dispatch him down the street to grab a snack at one of the bustling shops or cafes in the neighborhood (it’s in the Fillmore). “Um, babe. Why don’t you go get a cupcake? Mmm… You like cupcakes. Take your time. I’ll text you in an hour.”
The new store is the third for NARS in the US. They also have stores in New York and Los Angeles.
Welcome, welcome, one and all! The store is very welcoming by design — not intimidating at all — which I like. According to Fillmore Boutique Manager Alexia Ogle, “Like François Nars always says, ‘Don’t be so serious. It’s only makeup.'”
That’s the kind of environment the company wanted to create. “We want clients to come in and have fun,” Alexia says, “and that’s why we’re here.”
The 700-square-foot store carries everything in the NARS line (including those hard-to-find pumps for NARS foundations, woo hoo!) and provides touch-ups and makeup application, free of charge. If you’re interested in trying a product first before buying, they also offer samples.
The NARS 2050 Fillmore Boutique is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. If you’d like to get your makeup done by one of the friendly NARS artists, just walk in, or you can also book an appointment ahead of time by calling (415) 757-2485.
Master classes with NARS artists are on the horizon, as are small, intimate seminars for NARS fans who want to learn more about the products and seasonal trends.
Hello! I think I just found a new home away from home. 🙂
Forget Milkshakes, theBalm’s Cabana Boy Blush Brings All the Boys to the Yard
Once I babysat this adorable little girl who somehow knew the lyrics to that Kelis song, Milkshake…and she also took them to heart.
She believed that milkshakes would literally bring all the boys to the yard, and since she also believed that all boys were yucky, she swore to never have a milkshake.
Hahaha! From the mouths of babes… 🙂
That’s what I thought of this morning when I pulled out theBalm’s new $21 Cabana Boy Blush. Like the milkshake of the makeup world, it’s also supposed to bring all the boys to the yard.
In a manner of speaking. theBalm claims that this pigmented, warm rosy pink, with its hint of plum, will have the boys (or girls) attending to your every whim.
I’ll Take Two Coats of the New Milani Grandissimo Lashes and a Vanilla Scone, Please
“Um, yeah, could I please have a Grande Grandissimo Lash and one of those YUMMY-looking vanilla scones?”
Haha! Okay, you caught me. Part of the reason I like new Milani Grandissimo Lashes mascara is because it sounds like something I’d order at Starbucks instead of my regular grande soy chai latte (no foam, please). That, and I just like saying the name over and over again… Grandissimo. Grandissimo. Grandissimo.
Just launched for spring, Grandissimo and it’s oversized accompanying brush promise a false lash look with “incredible volume,” and all without smearing or clumps.
I’ve had my eyes peeled for a budget version of my favorite dramatic mascara du jour, Le Volume de Chanel, and I was hoping Grandissimo would be a good drugstore dupe.
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