Black & Blue: Summer Style Wishlist

Black is a staple in my wardrobe but my other summer wardrobe picks are all about the blues. From cool denim to royal to navy, I'm been falling in love with pretty hues of blue lately. Click the links below for details about each item (these are NOT affiliate links). What colors have you been loving this summer? whats on your summer style wishlist? feel free to comment below or link to your own wishlist post in the comments.

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Summer Mango Salsa

Every time summer rolls around I find myself on a massive hunt for light, refreshing treats--I'm sure I'm not the only one considering that it's HOT out. And not the I'm-so-cute-in-my-tank-top and sandals-hot...like the sweat rolling down forehead (and i usually don't sweat much), i-need-to-take-this-off-NOW-sticky-humid hot. The type of hot that threatens to keep you inside (and it's only the beginning of summer)! Last year I couldn't get enough of Black Bean & Corn Salsa and this year my mango salsa may be a staple on my snack menu. Mango Salsa is healthy, light , and refreshing but also packs a little heat of it's own.

You'll Need: 1 Ripe Mango, 1 Tomato (I used a large roma tomato), 1/2 an Onion, 1 Jalapeno, 2 cloves of garlic, about a handful of fresh cilantro (or to taste), and salt & pepper (to taste).

Summer Mango Salsa:

1. Peel & Pit the Mango.

2. Slice & Dice the Mango, Tomato, Jalapeno and Onion (the cubes can be as big or small as you prefer). Put all of the diced ingredients into a bowl.

3. Peel the Garlic and de-stem the cilantro. 

4. With a mortar and pestle, smush the garlic and cilantro until it's fragrant, then add in a tbsp of olive oil and repeat. (alternatively, finely slice the garlic and roughly chop the cilanto)

5. Add the Garlic, Cilantro mixture to the other ingredients, drizzle with the remaining olive oil (add salt & pepper to taste) and lightly toss it all together.

6. Enjoy as a snack with a side of crispy grilled bread or chips or in a main dish over fish or chicken.

I hope you enjoy this sweet & spicy treat! 

What are some of your go-to summer snack foods?

OLD & NEW makeup favorites

The above products are some of my favorites in beauty (old and new)--I've literally used/re-bought some of these products (on & off) for years--like China Glaze For Audrey (it's my favorite Tiffany blue nail polish and my favorite color to paint my toes in the summer) and though there are many new lip butters/balms on the market Yes To Carrots Lip Butters will always be a go-to for me, I've been using them for a few years and besides being super moisturizing they are also usda certified organic (which is awesome, if you're into that--i am). Black Radiance Creme Eyeliner is a product that I've just started to use recently and it's super pigmented. You can pick most of these up at your drugstore (Walgreens is my second home) or beauty supplier.

Face: Physicians Formula-Organic Wear Bronzing Veil // Revlon-Nearly Naked Pressed Powder (050 Deep) // Revlon Colorstay Concealer (06 Deep) // Elf Cream Blush (Pink Lemonade) Eyes: Physicians Formula Wet/Dry Eye Shadow (Baked Berries) // Black Radiance Continuous Creme Eyeliner(Classic Black) Lips: EOS Lipbalm (Summer Fruit) // Yes To Carrots Lip Butter (Mint) // NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream (Antwerp) // Rimmel London by Kate Moss (01 Rouge a Levres) Hands/Nails: Essie (Infatuation) // China Glaze (For Audrey) // Burts Bees Beeswax Hand Cream

What are your summer makeup favorites & year-round staples?

Birchbox: My Suprise Welcome Box

So, I posted about my birthday earlier this month (here) but I've been anxiously awaiting another gift in the mail. On my birthday, my brother hinted that he had a gift for me--I had no idea what it was going to be and no one would give me any spoilers--but weeks later (to my surprise), I finally received this cute little box of goodies! (don't I have the best brother ever!) Considering that most of my readers are also bloggers--I'm sure you are no stranger to the subscription sample box system and birchbox is one of the more popular ones at 10$/a month for 4-6 premium sized samples. 

The things in my welcome box were pretty-much the same things that were in some of the other May 2013 boxes that had a "Beauty Diaries" theme. Here are the things my welcome box included:

Beauty Protector-Protect and Detangle // Coola-Classic Face SPF 30 Cucumber Moisturizer for Face // Joie-Folle de Joie de parfum // Sumita-Color Contrast Eyeliner (in Jamun/Deep Purple) // Tweezerman-Matchbox Itty Bitty Nail Files // Madewell for Birchbox Emery Board

All in all, i was really pleased with my Birchbox this month! for individual product reviews/first impressions, read more...

Do you subscribe to any sample boxes? Birchbox,etc.? which ones do you recommend (if i decide to get one after my gift sub is up)?

PHOTOGRAPHY: A Collection of Signage

It's been a while since I posted about my 365 photo project, though I did lose track (kind of) I think that I accomplished my purpose with the project--to take more photos and to get comfortable with using my camera.  But not to worry, I still take lots of photos--LOTS of them. Here are some out takes from various days...Going though my photos I noticed a pattern in that I take pictures of signs and billboards very regularly.