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. Tacos or burritos?
Tacos, all day every day, and one thing they have going for them: you can order different kinds of tacos, like one fish, one carnitas and one grilled chicken, for the same meal.
It should be said that I do also like burritos…but they’re just too much of a commitment (ha ha). Plus, have you seen the burritos around here in Northern California? They’re HUGE.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
These days, not really, because I’m pickier about what I keep around, and most of the items I’ve gotten in past gift-with-purchases rarely get used. There may be one or two items I like, but more often than not, they get given to friends or family.
When I was younger and still building up my collection, it was a different story, because I loved me some freebies!
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
Oh! MAC Velvet Teddy. If we were vampires, I would ask Velvet Teddy to be my vampire bride from here to eternity. (Yes, it’s that serious.)
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
El Hub and Connor last June. We drove down the Central California coast to Hearst Castle.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
Nope. Never was into gnawing at my nails.
Popping pimples, though? Girl, that’s another story.
Life is short
We’re big basketball fans around here, and if you follow basketball at all, I’m sure you’ve heard the news about Kobe Bryant and his daughter. 🙁 I’m heartbroken for his family… I mean, we all know our days on earth are precious and numbered, but it’s easy to forget, at least it is for me, amidst the frippery of everyday life.
Hug your loved ones a little tighter today, friend. Sending you love and warm light from this little corner of the Internet.
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. Tacos or burritos?
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
1. Tacos or burritos?
Tacos!! I don’t like tortillas unless they’re grilled which takes out most burritos.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
Yes, less for makeup and more for skincare. I like trying new things. And am always down for a different nighttime moisturizer or eye cream.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
Also probably velvet teddy but I only have a few MAC lipsticks.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
Some friends for a bachelorette party in Vermont!
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? Nope but I do bite the hangnail area….
Hope you had a lovely Monday, and have a great week ahead, Jade!
Hugs to you and your family, Karen. That news yesterday was shocking and so, so sad. My thoughts and prayers go to everyone’s family that was involved in yesterday’s catastrophe.
On to the questions:
1. Tacos or burritos? – I get why you love tacos but I’m a burrito gal, especially in a bowl! So yummy!
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? – Like you, I’m way more pickier now than when I first started getting into makeup. If it’s something I can see myself using, than yes, I’ll consider it.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? – Probably Velvet Teddy or Twig.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? – My mom. Last year we drove to my brother’s house for a long weekend. It’s a 3-4 hour car ride, depending on traffic.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? – No, never.
Sending you a hug back, Barb. ❤️
Such a tragedy. Sending love to all the families involved.
1. Tacos or burritos? Burritos for sure, but I hadn’t ever had one up until about 2 years ago so it’s a new love for me.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? I used to a lot more, nowadays I don’t care unless it is a product I want to try or already use. Nice ot have travel sizes!
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? Mac Rebel is my true love.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? How long is long? I had about an hour with my husband and 2 grandmothers last weekend which was fun, but typically longest drives are just hubby & me. 4 hours to the cottage we have a lot of singalongs!
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? I used to when I was a child but I paint them so much now which really helped.
Hope you had a nice Monday, Emily. 🙂
1. Tacos or burritos?
Love both, but if absolutely pressed, I would choose tacos. With handmade tortillas.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
Not really, I like if I get it but don’t seek it out.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
All Fired Up?
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
My partner and I took a long, meandering trip from the Bay Area to the Grand Canyon. It was so fun!
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
Thankfully never got into that habit.
Ahh, thanks for the reminder about All Fired Up, Ewa! I’m going to wear it this week!
Happy Monday everyone! Though I’m not a big basketball fan, these news were really shocking to me. So give your friends and family an extra big hug this week.
1. Tacos or burritos? Burritos, tacos are not flexible enough.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? In Germany we usually don’t have this g-w-p kind of offers. When I lived in London and I wanted to buy something of a certain brand, yes.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? I currently don’t have one, but “Hey Frenchie” is close.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? About a year ago with some girlfriends. It is rare you connect with people right away.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? When I was a kid, but who hasn’t?
For sure, Daniela. I’ve been hugging my people extra tight these past few days!
1. Tacos or burritos?
Burritos carnitas, por favor! With lots of hot sauce and sour cream. Yum.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
Nope, never. They are never any good! Ha ha. Seriously, it’s like they’re a completely different product. Estée Lauder is terribly inconsistent in this regard that it’s completely turned me off from the entire brand.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
Back when beeswax could coat these lips it was Cosmo. The perfect pink for me.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
My close childhood friend. A 6-7 hour car ride to Grand Forks.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
I’m the same as you. I am so bad for picking my face.
Hey Savannah,
I really have to fight the urge to pop pimples, ugh. When I have one, it helps me to cut my nails super short, and to avoid looking in the mirror are certain times (like when I have long stretches of time by myself in the bathroom, like after a shower, or while I’m brushing my teeth). I’ve even gone so far as to bribing myself to keep my hands off my face (it works).
1. Tacos or burritos? tacos
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? yes. i love them . if estee lauder had shades that i like for my complexion, i would buy them
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? yes. diva, sin and ruby woo.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? my ex husband before he was my ex husband
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? I am not only a client but the president of the nail biters club.
Hope you had a lovely Monday, Ericca!
i had a great monday , thank you.
1. Tacos or burritos? I’m with you, definitely tacos. I like one fish taco and one al pastor. The CA burritos are so huge I could make at least three meals from one.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? No. They’re usually things I would never use. I admit, I used to get the gift bag during beauty week at Barney’s mostly because the makeup bags the samples came in were pretty nice.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? It used to be Viva Glam VI until it got discontinued. Can’t say I have one now.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? Depends on what you consider long. I used to drive 150 miles one way, every other weekend with Dear Daughter to visit the retired mare in pasture until said mare passed away. Before that I drove to LA with Dear Husband.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? Never. I do go at my hangnails and skin around my nails more than I should.
I’ve never been a Lakers or Kobe Bryant fan. Must admit he was very talented on the court. I do feel for his wife and other children. I cannot imagine how devastated and grief stricken they must be feeling right now.
I keep forgetting to tell you that I rode a horse in Novato a couple weeks ago. It was totally random, too! El Hub, Connor and I were hiking in Indian Valley, and we came across a guy and his horse. They just finished a long trail ride and were headed on home. He let us pet the horse, and even offered to have Connor sit on the saddle. She was too scared (the horse was very big), so I got on, and next thing you know, the horse was trotting along the path, and so was I! It was super fun. 🙂
Yeah, riding is super fun. And if you develop a relationship with a horse it becomes so much more. So glad you enjoyed it!
1. Tacos or burritos? Burritos
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? Sometimes. It all depends on the deal.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? Both are LE, unfortunately: Von Teese (though Ruby Woo is close) and La Vie En Rouge (make this permanent, MAC!).
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? This last weekend I took a trip with my hubby to Tacoma.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? Yes. That’s why I keep acrylic nails on. Nail biting is a form of OCD, and I had it too bad to stop. If one natural nail got even slightly uneven, I’d be biting again.
So shocking and sad to come back from the weekend to hear about Kobe Bryant and the others who died. His daughter was only 13. Such a shame.
I know. I feel for his wife and kids.
What really struck me about the Kobe Bryant accident is that his daughter was the same age as my second niece. I really need to give my baby a big hug right about now.
1. Tacos or burritos?
Tacos.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
No, but I was into the GWP when I wore a lot of Clinique products back in the day.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
I haven’t tried a lot of MAC lipsticks, but I love me some Mehr. It’s very ‘my-lips-but-better’.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
Mom and the previously mentioned niece 2.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
No. But I am bad about peeling them.
Hi Suzanne,
What struck me was that coming home to your house and your family is never a guaranteed thing. I’ve been so grateful to step through my doorway back to my home and to my people (and cat).
1. Tacos or burritos?
Tacos, but the thing is that my head struggles to imagine mixing a seafood taco with a meat one. That simply doesn’t feel ok.
Maybe is the fact taquerías are really specialized here.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup?
I do, but they aren’t a deal changer.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick?
I don’t really have one, but I know I’ll get married wearing MAC Viva Glam I.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?
My parents and sister, we went to Leon to buy shoes.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)?
Nope.
I keep meaning to tell you this… Congrats on your new job! 🙂
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? Not really
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? Hug Me
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with?My daughter and probably somewhere around Chicago, about a 2 hr + drive for me
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? Not since 2nd grade
Have a great day, Erica!
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos – usually shrimp or fish
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? Not really – never seem to use any of it
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? Never tried one
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? The husband & I drove to Quebec City – 9 hours each way. We also spent 10 days driving all around Iceland
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? I used to bite them so bad! Gel/dip manicures have saved them
YUM to shrimp tacos, Melissa!
1. Tacos or burritos? I like vegetarian tacos. Good ones have a light, bright, fresh taste. I’ve never really cared for burritos because they’re just too heavy.
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? No.
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? I can’t wear MAC lipstick. There is something in the formulations that causes my lips to dry our and flake.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? My husband. We drove up to Solvang for the day. The town itself is rather touristy, but fun and the surrounding countryside is beautiful for hikes and picnics. There is also a mission near it.
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? When I was a very little girl I bit my nails. I stopped doing that ages ago.
Just looked up Solvang (I’ve never heard of it). Looks like a cute place to stop and explore. 🙂 Putting it on my travel to-do list!
Happy Monday, Eileen!
Solvang is all about Hans Christian Andersen so be sure the Coy Wolf is familiar with his fairy tales before you go. His “The Little Mermaid” was world famous long before Disney borrowed the idea and gave it a happy ending. The HCA story doesn’t end happily, but teaches an important lesson about accepting ourselves for who and what we are. As corny as this might sound, when I first saw the original Little Mermaid sculpture in Copenhagen’s harbor, with the mermaid looking so longingly out to sea as she transforms into a human, it broke my heart. Anyway . . .
A fun day in Solvang is a great way to introduce little ones to Denmark as well as our California missions. The mission there is not a jewel like Santa Barbara or San Juan Capistrano. It’s much more humble as it was located in a more agrarian setting.
BTW, every September Solvang has a festival called Danish Days that is hugely popular.
Definitely tacos!
No, but if I’m on the fence about buying something and I see a promo come up tying it to a gift with purchase, I’ll more likely at that point pull the trigger. I had my eye on a certain perfume that was beyond what I wanted to spend, but when ULTA started giving out a blanket or robe with a $40+ fragrance purchase I went ahead and bought it.
Ruby Woo! I received it as a hostess gift from my super thoughtful cousin. I love it because I love it’s history and how I feel connected to women of all colors when I wear it!
My hubby and kids. We drove to Wisconsin from Tennessee over the summer. In a couple of weeks we’ll hop in the car again to drive to New Orleans for Mardi Gras!
No, but my son does. ?
Oh, how fun! Please have a beignet for me while you’re there!
1. Tacos or burritos? Tacos
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? I used to love Clinique’s GWP, but they aren’t has good as they used to be meanwhile the minimum purchase price has gone up
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? Modesty
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? My mom
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? No
Hi Jenny,
I remember the Clinique GWPs from back in the day being pretty good, and very generous, too. Didn’t realize they changed the minimum purchase price. Anywho, thanks for filling out the poll!
1. Tacos or burritos? – Soft tacos all the way – yummy!
2. Do you consider gift-with-purchases when you buy makeup? – oooh yeah. I expedited the item I was planning to buy from Sephora because they were sending a free trial size Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick with it (and I’ve been wondering about that for my skin tone for a while)
3. What’s your ride-or-die MAC lipstick? – Taupe. Bought at least 6 over the years. Always have one in my bag.
4. The last person (or people) you took a long car trip with? – My hubby and dog @onyx_sheepadoodle
5. Do you bite your nails (or have you in the past)? – Not as a habit but if my nails are looking long I have to bite-shape them right away (no patience to get to a file/nail cutter)