wedding makeup!

kdavis Leave a comment

our dear friends jamie and greg are getting married in just nine short days, and i have the honor of being one of the bridesmaids – yay!  with the big day around the corner, i have been getting my to-do list and packing list together to make sure i don’t miss a thing.  one of the items on that list is all of the new makeup i’ve recently purchased to complete my bridesmaid look.  like many ladies, i have created a makeup collection over the years and that old stuff just had to go.  so, since i was basically working from the ground up, a personal consultation at sephora sounded like the perfect plan.  i mean, i think i have an acceptable day-to-day look, but i knew i needed to step up my makeup game for the wedding – gotta look good in those pictures!

my stylist grace was ready to get to work the moment i hopped onto that stool, and with my close friend alison at my side (her makeup always looks stunning), i knew i’d be in good hands.  thankfully grace was willing to work with some of the basics i already have since i have sensitive skin, so i didn’t totally break the bank on that day’s purchases.  we had a gay ‘ole time as grace showed me where to sweep the eyeshadows, what to do with that charming little makeup egg, and, perhaps the most entertaining part of the afternoon, how to apply false eyelashes!  i mean, i might be biased, but i think the end result was kind of lovely (despite the silly faces).  🙂

now, all throughout the appointment alison was diligently taking incredibly detailed notes, as i am going to have to recreate this look myself the day of the event.  so, armed with her notes and all of the supplies, i followed the instructions and….voila!  with the exception of no false eyelashes, i gotta say i don’t think i did too bad of a job.  again, please pardon the fish face – just gotta show off those cheekbones…!

although i got most of my supplies at sephora, some of them i had to hunt down at ulta.  i don’t want to take sides in this post, but the stores don’t carry all the same products, so you do what you gotta do.  and, to give credit where credit is due, here’s a list of all the products used in the making of this look.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

chocolate sheet cake

kdavis Leave a comment

chocolate cake

folks, this recipe comes to you straight from the pioneer woman.  i made this classic chocolate sheet cake this past weekend for mother’s day, and i think it’s safe to say that our mothers and everyone else partaking in the celebration very much enjoyed a slice.  this cake is decadent yet somehow not too sweet.  be warned, though, that a small piece will do you just fine, especially if you top it with some vanilla ice cream.  noms!

the sprinkles were a recommendation from milo, and someone even commented that the cake reminded them of those irresistible little debbie treats called cosmic brownies.  i think i can safely put them both in the ‘i only need one but will eat the whole box/pan’ category.

da vinci’s donuts – sandy springs

kdavis Leave a comment

i was on my way to work this morning and had every intention to make a quick stop and grab a bagel to eat for breakfast.  it was after i accidentally passed the light to go to panera bread, though, that i had to be spontaneous and make a change in plan.  as i leisurely cruised up roswell, it dawned on me that there is a donut place right on the way to the office, and i hadn’t yet tried it.  even better, i had a coupon!  well, that made the decision easy!

i took a left off glenridge, swung into a parking spot, and opened the door to the sandy springs location of da vinci’s donuts.  with that first step, i was in donut heaven.  the donut smell was so authentic that i felt like i had been transported to another place.  i don’t know where exactly, but i imagine it’s a place filled with puppies and chaise lounges and lots of windows and donuts stacked on platters on every surface you can see.  sure, we’ll call that donut heaven!

anyway, the whole idea here at da vinci’s is to make a really great donut that you can top yourself or enjoy with one of their specialty creations.  their cake-like donut is a great base for whatever you’re going to put on it.  and one of the best parts?  they’re small!  i know, a small donut?  how can that be a good thing?  well, when you’re eating it with chocolate icing or maple bacon, less is more.  and since i had a coupon, i was ready to try nearly every option they put in front of me.

i quickly decided on the da vinci’s dozen, 16 donuts placed in a donut box that actually looks quite similar to another type of food delivery box.  interesting…

with so many to select, i was able to practically get one of each specialty flavor they had out that morning.  how nice that it worked out that way!  i couldn’t help but smile as i looked at those cheery donuts peeking back at me.  almost too cute to consume!  almost.

when i got to the office, i immediately dug in, as i was pretty hungry.  i chose to go with the cinnamon and chocolate glaze on my first round.  the first thing you’re going to notice about any of their donuts is how light they are.  this place has cake donut making down to a science, and you may come to believe they have that recipe just about perfect.  the cinnamon donut was soft and scrumptious and not too sweet.

20160505_082950

the chocolate glaze, though, for me personally was a step above the cinnamon.  the chocolate glaze is the perfect consistency for this little donut, not overpowering.  after the three bites it took me to finish it off, i concluded that their version represents the quintessential chocolate glaze donut.  how’s that for a review!

20160505_090020

and since there were a few donuts left in the box, i decided a third mini donut couldn’t hurt.  this one was by far my favorite, the strawberry shortcake.  i mean, come on!  how precious is this little cutie pie!  the smell alone was enough to make me drool.

20160505_103647

if you feel your sweet tooth itching for satisfaction down here in the atlanta area, i highly recommend you take a chance on da vinci’s donuts.  if these pictures and adjectives aren’t enough to convince you, here’s the last argument i’ll make:  they also serve jittery joe’s coffee!  noms!

girl, put your records on

kdavis Leave a comment

vinyl

last month was phillip’s birthday month and i insisted we celebrate in style and together.  we both took off that wednesday and started with a lovely breakfast at buttermilk kitchen, did a little afternoon napping, got soothing massages, and topped the evening off with an italian dinner at marcello’s with kyle and kari (we highly recommend the lasagna).  as we munched on cookies’n’cream cake from piece of cake down the road later at home, we broke in phillip’s birthday gift:  a record player!  i’ve used album art as wall art in my homes for years now, and it only seemed appropriate that we finally put those records to use!

phillip and i had been throwing around the idea of getting a record player ever since he moved in but just hadn’t gotten around to it.  his eyes lit up and his smile grew from ear to ear as he unwrapped the package – i couldn’t help but squeak in joy myself!  and as all men do, he insisted we set it up right then and there.

after some trial and error (and instruction manual referencing), the player was hooked up to the amp and we had legend frank sinatra singing “strangers in the night” to us from days past.  it’s funny how old things become new again, and i’d be lying if i said i wasn’t enamored with the vintage idea of playing records.  there’s just something about that vinyl spinning around that soothes you!  we always have it on when we eat dinner at the table together and i try to even put something on in the mornings as we’re getting ready.  fleetwood mac’s rumours record has been my favorite as of late.

if you’re on the fence about getting one yourself, i highly recommend you do so.  and while you’re at it, raid your parents’ vinyl collection and get some of those oldies but goodies going!  🙂

achoo!

kdavis Leave a comment

i don’t know about you, loyal readers, but the weather here in georgia has me reaching for the tissue box regularly these days.  i wouldn’t categorize myself as severely allergic to the spring weather; however, something in the air keeps me sneezing day in and day out.  i suppose it doesn’t help that i have the windows open when i am home, but i just can’t keep the lovely breeze away when it’s so nice!

anyway, when you feel a sneeze coming on but not quite there, you’ve probably been told by someone (perhaps a mother, grandparent, or other wise individual) to look at a light or the sun to get that sneeze out of your system.  well, i know this little trick works nearly every time for me and recently it got me wondering about why it actually works.  good thing there’s a thing called the internet to answer this puzzling question!

after reading a couple of articles (article 1 and article 2), it turns out that there isn’t much concrete explanation (although there is plenty of speculation) as to why looking at light activates the sneeze action in some people.  although originally thought to be caused by heat, the general theory now is that this “photic sneeze reflex” is caused by irritation in the nose, which can be triggered when the trigeminal nerve fires.  this trigeminal nerve is close in proximity to the optic nerve, so when the eyes’ pupils constrict in response to a sudden flood of light to the retina, the nose also reacts.

now, part of what you read were the words “in some people.”  that’s right.  this phenomenon actually has genetic roots.  not from the x or y chromosome, but from an autosomal-dominant gene you inherit from at least one of your parents.  with that, it’s estimated that only about 10% to 35% of the world’s population is affected by the photic sneeze reflex.  well, doesn’t that just make me feel special!

p.s.  the best part about the photic sneeze reflex?  the incredibly clever acronym created many moons ago:  autosomal-dominant compelling helio-opthalmic outburst syndrome.  aka, ACHOO!  the more you know.  😀

almay & ecotools

kdavis Leave a comment

20160412_084608

so, very long story short i wasn’t wearing makeup for a few months in an effort to tone things down and just let my skin breathe.  i’m not a heavy makeup wearer to start, but going cold turkey for several weeks did wonders for my face.  it probably helped that i was using gentle face washes and prescription topical treatments, and i’m happy to say that things are balanced these days.

once i decided that i was ready to go back to the makeup routine, i knew i wanted to introduce items one-by-one so that i wasn’t bombarding my skin.  i figured the best place to start would be with the powder and foundation, and that’s just what i did.  in the past i’ve just picked up whatever i knew and whatever was cheapest, and although i didn’t want to skimp on some good products, i also did not want to break the bank.  that meant i started things off with some calmer products by almay.

first up was the truly lasting color liquid makeup as a foundation.  the key here for me was to get good coverage without caking it on.  thankfully with smoother and clearer skin to start, i only now need a light layer of foundation to create a uniform tone.

20160412_084817

next i started using (and have really been loving) the smart shade loose finishing powder.  a little dab of this stuff will do ya to finish off a smooth and natural look.

20160412_084749

but to use that finishing powder, i needed just the right brush for the job.  it was time for a new set of brushes (i’ll admit i’d held onto my old ones for way too long), so while at ulta i stopped by the cosmetic accessory aisle.  now, i’m no makeup artist, so paying a ton for a single brush didn’t seem very sensible for me.  what i did find, though, was the most darling little pack of brushes in the ecotools five piece travel set.  besides coming in the most adorable little pouch, these brushes (as you would find out from other reviews) are ridiculously soft.  the big blush/powder brush picks up just the right amount of product before i sweep it on my skin.  i can tell that these few basic investments i’m making now will be the building blocks of good, appropriate makeup wear for years to come.

20160412_084655

spicy pasta salad!

kdavis Leave a comment

with the cool breeze in the atlanta air these days, the mood struck me suddenly and i was craving pasta salad.  sure, i could hop into disco kroger and pick up a pint of the premade stuff, but with plenty of time on my hands, i decided to bust out a tried and true spicy pasta salad recipe.  now, when i pulled up the ingredients and directions from my cookbook, my handwriting gave no clue as to where the recipe originated.  after a quick search, though, i found out it was another classic from ree drummond.

the good news?  now i don’t have to type out every measurement and step.  the better news?  i still feel compelled to post all the pictures of me making this dish!  for your viewing pleasure, here is me at work in my little kitchen.  🙂

cook up some pasta.

next, measure out half a cup of mayo.  throw it in a mixing bowl.

1/2 a cup of mayo.
1/2 a cup of mayo in a bowl.

pour one fourth cup of whole milk and then add it to the mayo.

1/4 cup of milk.
milk with mayo.

get yourself four tablespoons of white vinegar and marry it up with the mayo and milk.

to the mix add the salt and some peppa and adobo sauce!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

whisk it all up.

20160410_173226

next?  chop up some tomatoes.  the grocer didn’t have red grape tomatoes, so i went with cherry tomatoes and just chopped ’em a little finer.  also, it was a very happy coincidence because these hokee tomatoes come from right down the street in forest park, georgia.  cool!

next you’re going to cube up some gouda.  i won’t judge if you consume any awkwardly shaped or sized pieces on the spot.  i’d be lying if i said i didn’t do that exact thing myself.

now, we’re almost done, i promise!  in your bowl, toss together the gouda, tomatoes, cooled pasta, and dressing.  then, use all your self control not to take a bite – it’s not ready quite yet!

okay, the final step is to grab a whole bunch of basil and chiffonade it.  “chiffonade” is technically a noun, but as a verb, it means to stack all your basil leaves…

20160410_175802(0)

…roll them up…

20160410_175818

…and then use your knife to thinly slice it all.  just like that you’re a chiffonade pro!

20160410_175852

take all that lovely basil and incorporate it in with the pasta mix.  this salad will be sure to please at home, at a picnic, at a bbq, just about anywhere that pasta salad is welcome.  the dressing isn’t overwhelming and has a nice kick from the adobo that provides great flavor.  as with all pasta salads and potato salads of this sort, letting it sit overnight makes for a greatly refreshing snack the next day.

20160410_175928