Just For Fun

How to play “This or That!”

You can choose to answer as many, or as few, of the questions below. Just copy and paste the ones you like with your answers in a comment. Can’t wait to see your “This or That!”

Copy and paste

• Your daily skincare regimen — multi-step or streamlined?
• Lightweight moisturizing gel or thick, rich cream?
• Mineral or chemical sunscreen?
• AHAs or BHAs?
• Oil cleanser or makeup removing wipes?
• Exfoliating toner or exfoliating scrub?
• Sunscreen — lotion or spray?
• Sleeping mask or serum?
• Foaming or creamy cleanser?

Your daily skincare regimen — multi-step or streamlined?

Allegedly, streamlined. LOL.

Lightweight moisturizing gel or thick, rich cream?

Thick, rich cream.

Physical or chemical sunscreen?

Physical, even though they take forever and a day to work into my skin.

AHAs or BHAs?

BHAs.

Oil cleanser or makeup removing wipes?

Oil cleanser.

Exfoliating toner or exfoliating scrub?

Toner, because I’m still recovering from the trauma that was unleashed upon my world by St. Ives Apricot Scrub in the ’90s.

Sunscreen — lotion or spray?

Lotion.

Sleeping mask or serum?

Serum.

Foaming or creamy cleanser?

Creamy!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking in with you today! Things I’ve been watching, cooking and thinking about this week.

Hi, friend. 🙂 How’s it going? I hope things are OK on your end. I’m feeling chatty today, so let’s catch up. Before we get into it, though, turn up the sound, and watch this video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Daniel Martin (@danielmartin) on Jun 16, 2020 at 8:33pm PDT

Goodness gracious, I love her. So sassy!

I’m still here, still hanging on, although I’m definitely feeling the effects of quarantine fatigue (read about it here, here and here).

Businesses and public facilities are slowly beginning to open up here again. Parks, stores, restaurants (for outdoor dining only). Word on the street is Sephora will fling its doors open next week, too.

Part if me is relieved, and part of me is, like, “Well, what happens if/when there’s a second wave? Or what if the vaccines don’t work?” I’ve been “adulting” pretty intensely lately, as El Hub and I have seem to have serious discussions about hard things, oh…every two seconds.

On the glass-half-full side, at least it’s not the zombie apocalypse! , Which would be about 100 times harder. Our metaphorical boat is still above water.

On that note, here’s some levity! This has kept me afloat this week…

My childhood on a plate

You know those foods that take you back to your childhood? Filipino mung bean stew (ginisang mungo) does that for me. We had it at least once a week during the week when I was growing up. It’s easy to make and oh-so fulfilling.

Mung beans look and taste a little like lentils. When you cook them, they soften to an almost creamy consistency.

There are many different riffs on this stew, which doesn’t have very many ingredients, but my favorite has bacon and spinach. And pancetta, shallot, garlic, dried mung beans (of course), beef broth, water and fish sauce.

My mom and dad always cooked it in a pot on the stove, but if you do it that way you have to soak the beans beforehand, and they take FOREVER to cook in a pot. If I get impatient, they don’t turn out as soft and creamy as I want them to be, so now I make it in the Instant Pot. In 10 minutes the beans are cooked perfectly.

Here’s what you do!

• Saute a pack of chopped pancetta (I get the pre-diced package at Trader Joe’s) in the Instant Pot until the fat has rendered, and add 1 chopped medium shallot and 3 tablespoons of chopped garlic. Continue to saute until nice and fragrant, and then turn off the heat.
• Add 2 cups of beef broth, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of rinsed mung beans (I did not soak them).
• Cook on high pressure on the Bean setting for 10 minutes, and then use the Instant Pot’s quick release to release the steam (be careful!). Then add fish sauce to taste, and throw a few handfuls of spinach in there. Stir until wilted.

To get the full Filipino experience, you have to serve it on top of white rice. ??

If you don’t have fish sauce around, you can also use plain salt to flavor the stew, or try a different sauce that has a salty undertone, like soy sauce, tamari or maybe even Worcestershire sauce. It’ll change the flavor profile, but as long as it’s yummy, right? Who cares?

I made this a few days ago, and it did me a world of good. I’ve been missing my family, and this tastes just like home.

Oh! — I gotta give a shout-out to my Instagram buddy Beverly. She posts Filipino recipes every Friday, and she made this dish in her stories last week, which got me craving for it.

For the love of granny panties

Allow me to give you some space for a preemptive “thank you” because your granny panty-lovin’ heart will be forever changed for the better after you order this six-pack of Fruit of the Loom Women’s Breathable Micro-Mesh Low-Rise Briefs from Target for $13.99.

I’m usually a cotton undies kinda girl due to being unusually particular about breathability, but even though these are 93% Polyester and 7% Spandex, the micro-mesh creates a cool breeze that cascades over the mountains of your booty. The material is also moisture wicking.

The material is super soft and comfortably lightweight. No pulling or tugging either.

Even though these are allegedly “low-rise,” the waistband still goes up pretty high, so my tummy still feels covered up enough when I’m wearing high-rise pants.

The sizing is pretty on point too.

YOU’RE WELCOME!

“Alone” on the History channel

EHRMAHGOODNESS. I love and hate this show. It’s a reality competition where 10 people (wilderness experts and survivalists who know what they’re doing) get dropped off in a harsh, remote wilderness location all by themselves and with limited provisions, and the person who lasts off the land the longest wins half a million dollars.

I love it. I fire it up before bed and kinda half-watch it while I stretch. So, if I’m face down on my yoga mat during pigeon pose, I can just hang out there for a few minutes and half-listen without missing much. But it’s a fascinating show! I’m only equipped to handle car camping (I gotta have a bathroom with running water and a shower and toilet nearby. These are non-negotiable.), so I’m learning a lot.

I would tap out even before they dropped me off, TBH.

It’s also fascinating how so much boils down to luck. Even the best trained, most experienced contestants sometimes succumb to simple rotten luck. It’s not always about the most competent person who makes it to the end. Sometimes it’s just the person who manages to dodge more of Mother Nature’s metaphorical bullets.

Anyway, THIS IS ALSO WHY I SIMULTANEOUSLY HATE THIS SHOW — because after El Hub watched about five episodes he started getting ideas. Last Sunday we went on a hike through the nearby Indian Valley Nature Preserve, and he decided to make a bow and arrow using materials he found on the trail.

Now he’s covered in poison oak.

And why is he covered in poison oak? Well, because he made his bow and arrow out of old dry poison oak branches without realizing it.

SIGH.

Rosie’s new role: babydoll

Last, but certainly not least, I keep catching these two besties cuddling and playing together, and it’s the cutest thing. Rosie is so, so patient. She lets Connor treat her like her baby doll. Connor dresses her up in doll clothes and wraps her paws around teddy bears and stuffed animals.

Anywho, that’s what I’ve been up to this week so far. How are you doing?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

So…what is the Monday Poll?

Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of five more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007). I love reading your answers, and it helps me get my week off to a good start. ?

1. Nail tips: square, oval or pointed?

As of now? Party oval, partly square.

I could never do pointed! Oh, my goodness no. They look cool, but I’d poke my eye out, guaranteed.

2. Hair dryer or air dry?

Air dry, just ’cause it’s easier, although I’m proficient with a hair dryer if need be.

3. Which of these braids can you do: french, fishtail, waterfall or dutch?

I can do all of them on myself, but on others…just fishtail.

4. Would you rather have perfect wash-and-wear hair for the rest of your life or perfect brows and lashes for the rest of your life?

Gimme the wash-and-wear hair, please!

5. Rom-coms or thrillers?

Both, but I’m in the mood for a good thriller. I need some excitement!

6. A blush you wear a lot?

This one by Charlotte Tilbury. It’s been my go-to for a few months.

7. Flip-flops or high-tops?

High-tops, ATM.

8. When you get a gift card, do you spend it right away, or do you save it?

I save it…but I also misplace them from time to time. ? So I’m trying to get myself to use them immediately; otherwise, they tend to disappear beneath artwork, coupons and bills under magnets on the fridge or sit in a drawer for months on end.

9. Have you ever cried at work?

Girl, do you know me at all? ? Hells, yeah, I cry at work. I’m totally that person hiding and sniffling in that one stall in the bathroom.

10. Avocado or mushroom?

I’ll take the avocado, and I’ll put it in a smoothie. YUM! ?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.

1. Nail tips: square, oval or pointed?
2. Hair dryer or air dry?
3. Which of these braids can you do: french, fishtail, waterfall or dutch?
4. Would you rather have perfect wash-and-wear hair for the rest of your life or perfect brows and lashes for the rest of your life?
5. Rom-coms or thrillers?
6. A blush you wear a lot?
7. Flip-flops or high-tops?
8. When you get a gift card, do you spend it right away, or do you save it?
9. Have you ever cried at work?
10. Avocado or mushroom?

P.P.S. Hope you’re having a nice day so far. ?

Hello and welcome to the weekend, my friend!

In this umpteenth chapter of “Why, yes, I’m a crazy cat lady,” please allow me to point out 1) the marbling on Rosie’s front paw, 2) her orange patch (!) and 3) her two delicate pink toe beans.

I. Know.

I was able to snap this shot moments before she gently swatted my hand with her paw, which is her version of scratching my eyes out. She’s so very gentle…except when she isn’t trying to trip and murder me when I walk down the stairs…

You know how cats roll. If they aren’t about to end you, then they aren’t living their best life.

Anywho, this week was a good one. I celebrated my birthday by dipping my toes in the water at the beach (McNear’s in San Rafael, which is about 15 minutes south of here), and I officially stepped into my mid-40s wearing a pair of Air Jordans.

For my birthday meal, I wanted In-N-Out Burger, and so for the first time in months, I ate a meal that I didn’t have to cook myself. I would’ve taken a picture of my Double Double with grilled onions, but I was too busy scarfing it down, ha ha ha!

• Summer’s just around the corner, and if it’s hot in your neck of the woods, you might want to check out this list of makeup artist-approved sweat-proof products. I was happy to see that Marc Reagan was quoted in this piece! He did my makeup years ago for a Bobbi Brown event at Neiman Marcus, and he was just the nicest, most knowledgeable person.
• So *this* is how Charlotte Tilbury gets all-over coverage without using a lot of foundation.
• Sometimes I watch Bravo reality TV shows just so I can look at the makeup. (I can’t be the only one who does this!) This list features 22 talented black makeup artists behind Bravo’s iconic beauty looks. Yay! I have so many new artists to follow on Instagram now.
• Since we’re wearing a lot of masks these days, you may be wondering how to keep the skin under your mask healthy and keep what shows above it looking good? Here’s what the experts suggest doing.
• Sharon Chuter, founder of Uoma beauty, launched the #pulluporshutup campaign to push beauty brands to reveal the demographic composition of their workforce.
• Do you see any of your go-to lines in this list of 16 iconic French fragrance brands? I’m happy to see a couple of my favorites — Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Annick Goutal.
• Speaking of scents, here are seven new ones that supposedly smell like summer.
• Walmart says it will no longer store multicultural cosmetic products in security cases inside its stores.

REGULATORS! MOUNT UP!

Some food for thought

Please talk me out of doing this. I’m about to order three pairs of scissors on Amazon!

SERIOUSLY. HALP.

Currently on repeat

Whatcha got going on this weekend?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen