Pins of the week, August 30

I'm in New York City enjoying my Debauchelorette Party! In the meantime, follow me on Instagram for pics of the trip and enjoy this stuff I'm loving on Pinterest this week:

Malene Berger sequin pencil skirt, via

Most sequin skirts I see are minis. The length here classes up the skirt a lot, and the casual top makes it a piece you could actually wear in the daytime.

Where to apply highlighter, via

I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this one a few times.

Salmon Burgers with Lemon Caper Wine Sauce, via

Plop a big piece of salmon on a bun -- TA DA, it's a burger.

But seriously, I love me some fish sammiches, and I love me some sammiches with fried onion strings on 'em. This recipe is getting made.

Cute fall outfit, via

I just got a pair of tall fall boots--yes, I'm really late to that game but it's extremely hard to find a well-fitting pair when you have wide feet, chubby calves and extra-short legs. Like impossible. So I'm happy about the purchase and anyway, I'm into this outfit. That Old Navy striped dress is just adorable. I know the whole thing is a little country-girl-in-the-big-city but, well, I gotta touch of that in me.

That's it. See you next week!

In-veg-stigation, episode 1: Cafeteria at UF Health Jacksonville

This is part one in a series I'm going to call In-veg-stigation. Being a pescetarian/vegetarian/vegan is hard enough, and sometimes you'll find yourself in a place wondering if there's anything at all you can eat. So I'll check it out beforehand for you and give you some recommendations.

So if your loved one gets hit over the head with anything in Jacksonville right before lunchtime and you have to drive him/her to the hospital, you'll probably end up eating in the cafeteria at UF Health Jacksonville while you wait. I eat here somewhat frequently, as my fiance G works here.

The most recent time I ate there was on Sunday, which is a day on which I'd recommend you try not to go, just because the quite adequate salad bar (more on that later) is closed on weekends and they don't have a lot of food out.

This time the TV which usually displays a menu was off and there wasn't even a sign saying what they had. I was trying to take pictures but it was difficult because I kept getting the stink-eye from the workers.

Sneaked a pic of the grill station though

I asked the guy at the grill station if he had any veggie burgers, as they sometimes do and they're not half bad. He said, "No, but we have turkey burgers," as if that's similar. I declined and went for the specials bar, which is usually decent.

I chose a piece of fish, some mac and cheese, and some mixed corn and lima beans. I wanted broccoli; the server said he was "Waiting on it," but I didn't want to, so corn and lima beans it was. The other items offered were chicken wings, cooked baby carrots (I'm not a fan) and mashed potatoes and gravy, which also looked okay but I can't turn down mac and cheese. If you're a pescetarian like me, this is a quite decent selection. If you're vegan, though, you're kinda screwed here as I'm sure there's butter in the corn. So, carrots, maybe? Probably butter there too, actually.

If you see some pizza at one end of this bar, I wouldn't recommend it. It never looks too good (always kinda burnt and greasy) and it's like a million calories per slice for some reason. Even the one that's just cheese.

Time to mosey on back to where G was getting his cheeseburger, which always takes a long time to get.

The toppings for the burgers always look quite fresh and appetizing.

I wanted to take a picture of the other side of the room, which has prepackaged little salads and things like those small Sabra hummus and pretzel cups and jello parfaits, but I was rushed. That side looks promising for veggies, but there are absolutely zero pre-made salads that don't have meat on them over there. It's astounding, really--every single one has chicken on it. If you want to eat caprese salad-in-a-cup or grapes and cheese, you're good though.

However, the salad bar, open Monday through Friday, is pretty decent. They have things like chickpeas, several different cheeses, nuts, berries and other things to go on them. If you're vegan, well, I hope your friend got hit on the head on a weekday.

The vegetarian's convenience store go-tos--single-serve bags of chips, granola bars, and fresh fruit--are also available here, which is good in a pinch.

Verdict: 2.5 out of 5 
Some healthier options overall would improve this cafeteria, especially since, y'know, we're in a hospital. They are trying, however; when the TVs are on, they often display a calorie count beside the items available. I get why they close down the salad bar on the weekends, as there are a lot less people eating, but it does suck. Also, why are there sometimes veggie burgers? It's not as if they're making these things in-house. They're frozen. Just keeping a box of them in the back shouldn't be too hard.

Also, the food is not good (we're in a hospital, guys), but I wouldn't call it bad. I didn't finish the macaroni, and there was more oil than I'd like on the fish, but it's definitely edible.

 All told, veggies should be able to find something to eat here. But don't expect many options.

Hell Yes Party Nails

I got my nails done yesterday by Morgan A. Dixon, aka MAD Nails. Aren't they awesome?

I didn't even expect to get my nails done, I thought it was just a meet-and-greet, so I didn't plan on anything, but these babies are going to be perfect for my upcoming Debauchelorette party weekend.

My friend C lives in Brooklyn, New York and she's my only bridesmaid so I'm leaving Friday monring to go up and visit her in the big city! We're planning on having drinks and riding the ferris wheel at Coney Island, going vintage shopping in Chelsea, spending many hours at Spa Castle, attempting to out-hot some other hoes and get into Le Bain to dance and eat crepes, and much more. It's less than a week away!

Three reasons to visit Lush

Today, we're going to talk about Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

If you don't know about Lush, I recommend you seek one out. We didn't have one in Jacksonville until the last year and now we have two, one at The Avenues and one at St. Johns Town Center. If you do know about Lush, you might think it's a place that just has bath bombs and soap. While they do have those things (and they're awesome), check out these lesser known products that I discovered on a recent trip to the mall.

The first is Silky Underwear Dusting Powder. "Ew," you may think. I understand. But let's be real. You have some places on your body that could use a little less moisture.

I bought this bottle on a recommendation from Tumblr as a great chub rub (or "thighfire," as my friend C and I call it--you know, because you're rubbing two sticks together and creating a lot of heat) solution. It's great for that. The powder soaks up moisture and the cocoa butter keeps you from getting all bumpy and sticky. Amaze.

But I've started putting it other places, too. I'm a die-hard flip flop girl, and so when I put on regular shoes the footsweats seem terrible. A little dusting in my favorite flats, no more footsweat. And it makes them smell like jasmine. It's great for that underboob sweat rash too and, yes, put it in your underpants. EVERYTHING SMELLS BETTER AND IS DRIER, GUISE. EVERYTHING.

A 2-oz bottle is a paltry $7.95.

The second thing I discovered was the massage bar.

The girl that works at Lush suggested it and gave me a nice arm massage with one. I couldn't resist. I got this one, called "Wiccy Magic Muscles." It smells amazing, like mint and cinnamon, and it makes your skin feel a little tingly. This one was $10.95, but they range in price from $7.45 to $13.95.

To use, you take it and rub it in your hands for a bit so the oils in it get kinda melty and then rub it around on the person you're massaging a bit, but not too much! Then you'll have to massage 'em all day because the oils just keep going and I mean, you don't want to spoil him/her.

G loves this thing. Its oils actually rub into your skin, but not too fast, and having them makes it a lot easier to rub because your hands just glide over the skin. I find I can rub his tired after-work muscles for a long time if I've lubed his back up with the massage bar.

Last but not least is Lemony Flutter.

I got a sample of this because I was already spending too much money but it's definitely worth the $16.95 for a pot if you have problems with dry cuticles.

It smells like Jesus. If Jesus was a lemon cake.

It's not exactly lotion, it's more like cuticle oil. But it's good for your hands and the dry parts on your feet and pretty much anything else that needs serious moisture. I put it on my hands when I don't need it just so I can smell it later.

Anyway, Lush is awesome. If I had more money I'd spend it all there.

How I learned to stop worrying and love my hair

People often stop me in stores or on the street to tell me how beautiful my super-thick, curly hair is. I love it, even though I always tell them "Oh, if you had it, you'd say otherwise!" And they probably would. It's been a long road to love for me and my hair.

When I was a kid, my mom loved my long hair so much, she wouldn't let me cut it or thin it. The problem was that she has very straight hair and didn't know how to help me contain the frizz, like realizing that I shouldn't be brushing it, like, ever. We also didn't have a lot of money for products. So I was walking around with huge ball of fluff for a head for years.

I have cut it all off a few times. I used to keep it short and straighten it, which was manageable.

My 22nd birthday. Chubbers.

But I got tired of straightening it and then constantly worrying about it getting even a little wet. One day I decided to just let it do its thing. And it was one of the most liberating things I've ever done.

Today I imagine myself as Carrie Bradshaw, curls whipping as I walk down the street. My hair is never out of place, because it has no place. It bounces, it flaps in the wind, it doesn't matter what happens to it. (Yes, I shed constantly and it's very hot, especially here in Jacksonville, Florida, but those things don't really outweigh the minimal styling and upkeep stress.)

So my fellow curly girls, put down your straighteners! If you've got hair like mine, here are some tips for loving it:

1. Don't ever brush it.

#turndownforwhat

This is how my hair often looked when I was a kid, and I didn't understand. Wasn't I supposed to brush my hair? NO. Never brush curly hair. You're only breaking up the curls. So what should you do?

Comb it. Get a wide-toothed comb and comb it out before you get in the shower to wash it. Only then. If you get a lot of knots, just finger through them. Don't comb it while it's wet, because it's more likely to break then. Run your conditioner through it with your fingers. That's it.

2. Use less shampoo. I am still working on this myself. But you don't need a lot, even if you have a lot of hair. If it doesn't seem like it's lathering up much, just rinse and repeat. The second time is always better.

Use more conditioner, leave about 1/3 of it in your hair when you're rinsing, and if you can, turn the water to cold right before you get out and do one quick rinse with it. The "pores" will close up and you'll see less frizz. And wrap it up in a microfiber towel or old T-shirt. Regular towels have those little "fingers" on them that will pull apart your curls.

Also, I only wash my hair two times a week. I know you might think that's gross, but it just doesn't need it. Curly hair doesn't usually get as oily as some other types, so you can go a little longer. Try it.

3. Products. I used to not want to spend money on products, but it's a necessity.

For curly hair by kirbythinks featuring L'Oréal Paris

Josie Maran beauty product / L Oréal Paris styling product / Amazon.com : Sexy Hair Style Spray Clay Texturizing, 4.4 Ounce :...

Here are some products I'm using right now on my hair. The l'Oreal and Suave both go on my wet hair right after washing. They help to keep the curls intact and minimize flyaways and they're both cheap. StyleSexyHair's Spray Clay is great for keeping everything exactly where you want it, it's a wonderful styling aid for curly girls. And the argan oil is to get some shininess and moisture. (This one is from Sephora, and I kick myself all the time for not loading up on cheap argan oil when I was in Morocco. Ugh.)

One of the best styling products I've ever used, though, is a spray bottle of water. Seriously. It helps tremendously on limp third-day hair. A few spritzes of water, maybe a pump of gel or curl cream, and it's like new. And you might not realize how jealous other people will get when you tell them that your morning hairstyling routine is "Spray some water on it." Be prepared to defend yourself.

Go forth and be curly!

Carrie would approve.

Spring Asparagus Risotto

thugkitchen.com

I hopped by Publix yesterday and scanned my food pinboard for something to make. I saw this recipe and remembered that I had some a-spare-agus (spare asparagus) in the fridge. It was fate. I'd never made risotto before, in fact I've only ever eaten it once, but it looked good so that was that.

For anyone who's not familiar with Thug Kitchen, it's a guy (I assume) who's not vegan, but his girlfriend is, and he "supports that shit." He makes delicious, easy vegan recipes that you won't even mind eating if you're not vegan. I feed Thug Kitchen's food to my meat-loving fiance, G, and he gobbles it up.

(Full disclosure, G is what some people -- not he or I --  might call a flexatarian. I'm pescetarian and I often make meat-free dishes, which he is more than happy to eat. He'll even buy fake meat if he's cooking. He's the best.)

So anyway, here's my first attempt at risotto-making. Click the picture at the top of the page for the full recipe and instructions.

Spring Asparagus Risotto

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallots or yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice*
½ cup white wine
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 bunch asparagus, about 1 pound
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup minced chives
pepper to taste

TK's recipe calls for a shallot or yellow onion. I decided to go for the shallot, but as I am still learning about anything that isn't called "onion," (I was raised in Podunk, NC and we don't have fancy shit like that) I bought the wrong thing. I bought scallions.

Scallions and shallots have really similar names, amirite? How am I supposed to keep up with all these different types of onions when they all start with S and have a double-L?

So we had scallions in our risotto.

#yolo

The recipe also calls for white wine. I had to Google that to find out which ones are good for cooking. Hurray, Sauvignon blanc!

I was pretty surprised that this $5.99 bottle of wine had a cork. Fancy.

After I add the wine to the pan, TK's instructions are clear: "Drink the rest of the wine because… well, that shits already open. Might as well."

Wine in hand, I pour in the broth, let it sit a while, stir a bit...

TK: "Just stir it every minute or two while you clean up or troll the internet."

 Done.

On that note, is anyone else really into the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game? I'm all over it. I've managed to get by with only spending $4 on it so far, but who knows what will happen. I might need some new shoes.

So anyway, I add the asparagus.

Lookin' good.

Making this recipe was quite easy. I was kind of unsure about cooking rice, uncovered, in approximately 20 minutes, but apparently Arborio rice is different.

It came out really well. G was impressed, saying that often, people overcook risotto and it becomes mushy. But this one was spot on. The scallions made no difference, but next time I make it I'll get the right thing and maybe it'll take this dish to a whole new level.

G said he'd prefer less lemon zest next time, but he always says that. I didn't think it had too much. I think lemon zest really improves stuff like this that has that "soup" flavor. He also whined when I told him there wasn't any more, if that tells you anything.

Ipsy Glambag August 2014

This is my unbagging video of Ipsy's Glambag for August 2014.

Products received:
Urban Decay Perversion mascara
Absolute You're the Balm lip balm in grape
Coastal Scents Forever Blush
Dr. Brandt Pores No More primer
Lord & Berry kohl liner in Black Silk