Sneakers for Work, Sneakers for Play

Throughout high school I purchased sneakers for “work”, meaning for running cross country and playing lacrosse. I couldn’t really rationalize (to my parents) the need to buy both fun and useful sneakers so I stuck with the ugly Sauconys. In college and for a few years after, I didn’t work out at ALL. I avoided running like the plague, so I chose to buy sneakers based solely on appearance. Recently, I’ve been working out using 3 year-old Pumas and 6 year-old Polo Sport sneakers, both of which I had purchased because they were pretty. As a result, my toes were getting numb after about 20 minutes on the elliptical. So, given that I hadn’t purchased sneakers in three years, I decided it was time to buy both useful sneakers and attractive sneakers.

Enter the Lady Foot Locker buy one get one 50% off sale. I looked at a bunch of sneakers, and the most comfortable and supportive sneakers I found were the Nike Shox Saikano+. They support my foot well around the ankle area, and I bought a size larger than I usually wear so that my toe doesn’t hit the front of the shoe when running. (This is important, given that my sister in high school had an unfortunate incident involving sneakers that weren't large enough and toenails falling off.) And these shoes aren't ugly, per se, but they are a little wider and generally larger than I would want for regular weekend wear.

But the attractive sneakers are much more fun. Like most people these days, I went straight for the Pumas. And I found really good looking shoes. I couldn’t find a picture with accurate colors, but the Puma Future Cat Lo(w) sneakers are very attractive and will go with jeans, yoga pants, and probably khakis.

I left the store having paid $162, which included the two pairs of sneakers and six pair of socks.

The Nikes are made to go with the iPod sport kit. I was wondering (Alissa), does the iPod sport kit only work with the nano, as the website suggests? Or could I use my ancient iPod mini?

A healthy glow...

Blush is kind of an important aspect of my makeup routine. As I have already explained... laziest. girl. ever. My morning routine consists of me putting some concealor (I found new, great stuff, by the way...), mascara and blush. Because I am a pale, pale bitch in the winter.

I love blush. It makes me look like I have a little color and contours my face and shows of my super high cheek bones. I look more rested and it really completes my "makeup routine." If you can call it that.

So, imagine my excitement when I found Smashbox making a new blush. It sounded so fun. Plus, Sephora is emailing me about it every ten minutes or so. They think it is awesome... I clearly will, too. So, I drop $26 on a super awesome gel blush called O-glow.

According to the website this is what it does... "When applied, the skin's moisture activates the energizing Goji Berry-C Complex™. It creates a micro circulatory effect, producing a rosy flush that lasts all day. Completely natural looking, waterproof, preservative and fragrance-free formula glides on smoothly for a healthy, glowing blush that's you, only prettier."

Well, that sounds awesome. I want to me be, only prettier. That is a serious goal of mine. And gel... I am good with gel. Especially gel that glides on smoothly. And I like to look healthy. I am so sold on this.

And then I buy it online. And it comes in the mail. I can not contain my excitement... I try it that evening. And it does exactly what it says it will do. It really is quite amazing. It is a clear gel that glides on smoothly and makes you look just like you do when you are blushing.

Here's the thing I forgot... I look like a clown when I blush. Super freaky kind of look. Bright red... except, instead of being all over like usual, it is confined to my cheeks where I put the stuff.

Oh, and its claim of staying all day... it does that, too. Right through the time when super cute Sean came over to my apartment. And I looked kind of like a circus freak. Or, like I was embarrassed. Which, actually, I was... so, I guess it all worked out.

Anyway, I will be taking O-Glow back. Because while it does exactly what it claims and does it extremely well... not such a great look for me.

Ladies, I know several of you also tried or are trying this stuff. Anyone else like the look it gave them? Anyone not end up like a clown?

iTunes is good for the soul!

This is not a post specifically about iTunes, but rather the great songs you can download for $.99. And, I ask for iTunes gift cards for every holiday, so rarely do I actually pay for the music (and videos) that I download. Currently, I am paying for songs and have recently downloaded a number of songs that I thoroughly enjoy. Perhaps you would enjoy them too, so here are my descriptions:

Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape. Normally, Gwen Stefani’s music annoys me to the point of changing the radio station when her music is playing. However, I think this song is great! It has an odd 80s vibe, and, although she semi-raps about a refrigerator repeatedly, the song has a great beat and I can’t listen to it enough!

Nickelback: Rock Star. I do not wish to hear or read about how much you all (excluding Victoria) hate Nickelback. I am taking advantage of this forum to tell you that this is a great song. Although I’ve only heard it on the radio once, I downloaded it right away and I think it has the potential to be a hit. I could describe the song, but frankly it sounds like all other Nickelback songs. So, if you like Nickelback, this is a sure bet.

Blue October: Into the Ocean. This song is calm and good to listen to while stretching or when you’re generally trying to relax. This song, and other songs by Blue October, has a pace similar to Justin’s What Goes Around, but sounds nothing like him. Apparently I’m not very good at describing music. But if you’re looking for a medium-paced, melodic song, this is a good one to check out.

Bob Seger: Night Moves. Sometimes I find there are songs I’ve known and loved for forever, but one day realize I’ve never downloaded. This is one such song. I’m sure you know it, and this is more to serve as a reminder to think about songs that mean something to you but aren’t necessarily the newest or most popular songs.

I'm also loving Fall Out Boy’s This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race because it actually vaguely resembles rock music.

Baby, it's cold outside...

Well, 2 of the 3 locales we Barstars grace with our rent checks are covered in a lovely layer of snow or ice. And, it is cold in Texas... so, this is a timely post.

I have what you might call a snow day, today. One of those great days where I pretend to work from home while sitting in bed and talking on IM. It is like regular work with more comfort. And less bras.

So, I have compiled a list of what you need to make your Snow day awesome. And, the great thing is... you don't have to just bring these out for days like today. You can use this stuff all the time!

First, you the perfect snow day outfit. I am a fan of all things warm and fuzzy, so I say start with slippers. If your feet are cold, well... you are screwed. Today, I am wearing great socks... purple striped and fuzzy. They are from Nordstrom. They were $6. And they are perfect. Apparently, Nordstrom doesn't sell fuzzy socks online. You will have to believe me when I tell you they are awesome.

Next, you need to cover the rest of your body. Since you are cold, you are going to want to wear pants. I know this sucks, Katie. Suck it up... you want to be warm. Here is where I learned the problem with needing pictures of things for the blog. I wear "The Pants." The Pants are yoga pants I have had for about 4 years. And I love them dearly. And if you come between me and my happiness with the pants... well, we will have words. But there are no pictures of the pants. No other pants can live up to MY Pants. So, I will have to find you a substitute. I like these. Because these girls look warm. I guess it could be their tropical locale... but whatever. On top, I like sweatshirts. I have one like this that I stole. It is warm. Sometimes, I wear a fleece instead. You choose... the world is your oyster, my friend.

Now comes the fun part. The accoutrement. You need some tea. I like this tea. It is yummy and not terribly expensive and I love the little triangle bags. So fun and a complete waste of money I assume. Great times.

Next, you need a great blanket. I have a lot of blankets. I have my comforter that I love, I have an afghan. I have a fleece throw. But, nothing compares to this. Mine is deep pink, but you get the idea. It is warm, yet light and soft and fabulous. Perfect for snuggling under while you watch TiVo. Which is one of your activities. Because a snow day is a perfect time to catch up on your Law & Order, your Ellen, your Oprah, and your Friday Night Lights you have been saving for a rainy day.

You also need a phone and the number of a good delivery place. I will be feasting on my ever favorite chicken with broccoli.

Other essentials you may need. I am a fan of fingerless gloves. They are great when you get cold, but still want to type. Or, work on your manicure. Katie loves a hair dryer to keep her feet warm. Sounds good to me. Also, good for drying that wet nailpolish! Also, for those afternoon naps, I like sleeping masks. This one is filled with lavender scents and doesn't leave annoying lines in your hair. And, finally, my computer gets me through the boredom. Because you need to talk to friends on IM, read up in the days news, and check the weather to know if you'll be home again tomorrow. Or, if you'll have to venture out into the snow and cold and ice to make an appearance at the office.

My name is Alissa. I like lip gloss.

Hi! I'm Alissa. I'm originally from a small town in Pennsylvania, where Fashion Bug was the most stylish clothing store within 45 minutes of my home. I always liked clothes and shopping, but I don't think I really knew what that meant until I got to college. That's where I met the BarStars, all of whom grew up in much more glamorous towns and possessed much better fashion sense than I did. But I am a quick study, so after years of tagging along on shopping trips and pouring over fashion magazines, I've overcome my farmgirl beginnings and have turned into a fairly fashionable city girl.

I now live just across the Chicago city limits in Oak Park with my foodie husband, Jon, and our adorable Westie, Nico. I love high-heeled shoes (the higher the better), lightweight merino wool sweaters, stylish winter coats, flouncy summer skirts and slightly gaudy, trend-tastic jewelry. I'm on a never-ending quest for the most flawless foundation, the prettiest pink lipgloss, the best hair volumizer, the perfect bra and jeans that will make my legs look like they go on for miles. I'm also kind of a techie dork, so I'm always scoping out the latest camera/computer/DVR/stereo gadgets. And I'm on a pretty serious workout kick, so I'm constantly on the lookout for cute-but-functional workout wear. So if you have a product that you just can't get enough of, be sure to let me know :)

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The first product that I want to rave about it something that Caro turned me on to. Actually, she got it for me for Christmas!

Stila Lip Glaze is, in a word, awesome. But I should preface this by saying that up until the second I tried it, I was hopelessly devoted to Mac Lipglass and had been since I bought my first tube of Dreamy a few years back. It's sticky, which may turn some people off, but I need my lip gloss to have serious grip to it. I am a compulsive lips smusher (you know, when you rub your lips together to redistribute your lip gloss to less-glossy parts of your lips), and glosses that are too slick don't stay put for more than an hour. Plus, Mac Lipglasses tend to be sparkly. And I love me some sparkle.

But Lipglass also tends to be fairly pigmented, so it's hard to find colors that look natural. And a lot of the time, their best colors are limited edition, forcing you to stock up if you want keep using your favorite color.

I was intrigued when I saw the Stila Lip Glazes that Caroline picked out from me, because, well ... they looked kinda bright in the tube. Bright and garish. Bright, garish, and not visibly sparkly. And I thought, boooo. These aren't going to work well at all.

But I put on Starfruit and ... wow. It looked so natural! But so pretty. And very subtly sparkly! It looked like I was wearing clear gloss on top of phenomenally pretty lips. And while I was even more skeptical about Apricot -- I NEVER buy cosmetics that fall into the peach/apricot category -- it looked gorgeous as well. It was more subtle, but still very feminine and luscious and pretty. I went out and bought another color (Raisin, which is currently only available in Japan, unless you're a Sephora Beauty Insider like me), but I'm actually not that happy with it -- it's a lot brighter than I'd anticipated. I guess I should stick to having Caroline choose my colors for me :)

The texture is pretty fabulous as well. It doesn't quite measure up to Mac when it comes to staying power, but it's a close second, and it's prettier, so I'm willing to reapply more frequently in order to obtain The Pretty. And each color has a slightly different mild flavor (or maybe it's just a scent? Now I'm not sure...) to it. It's not like Bonnie Bell Lip Smackers, where you put it on just to eat it back off again, but it's not waxy and gross like some lip glosses.

My only major complaint is the applicator. While I far prefer the brush to a sponge wand, I haven't quite mastered the turn-click system that slowly pushes gloss up from the container into the brush. I tend to click ... and click ... and click ... and then when nothing comes out I clickclickclick and, out of nowhere, my brush is saturated in three applications' worth of lip gloss. I try to reapply the lid and leave the gloss on the brush for later, but it will often drip into the cap, wasting precious, pretty drops of glossy perfection. And that makes me sad. But I'll deal in order to have such glamorous, lovely lips. This former Mac addict is a total Stila convert.

Request for Assistance, Please

Hi! In theory, my first post on a blog titled “Barstars buy…” should be about something I’ve bought, but instead I’m turning to my fellow Barstars—and blog readers, all two of you—to ask for your recommendations. I want to purchase the following items, and would like to hear the brands, types, versions, etc. that you recommend.

Curling Iron

I own two Revlon curling irons that cost about $9.99 at CVS, and they are inadequate. They are old and leave crimps in my hair that should not be there. I do not want to spend a lot of money on a new curling iron, but I want one that’s probably not going to break easily and will be good to my hair. Any ideas?

Laptop

This is a slightly more difficult purchase, given the price… I currently own a 3 ½ year old Dell Inspiron 5100. It has been good to me, but recently the screen has stopped working randomly. I’d like to start looking for a new computer, but have no idea where to start. My criteria are fairly low price and small size (preferably smaller than 15’). I know, I ask for a lot. But really, all I use a computer for is the internet, so why spend $2,000?

Pants

I’m always on the look out for the perfect pants. They are hard to find given that I’m 6’0” and have hips. Most pants too short and/or don’t fit correctly in the hip/waist area. I’m willing to spend a fair amount on good work pants, but have thus far been able to find a brand that I can count on.

FM Transmitter for my iPod

When I first got my iPod, my parents gave me an iTrip car adapter. It never worked well and now it’s broken. So I can’t use my iPod in my car, which is crappy. Does anyone have an FM transmitter they use that doesn’t get a lot of interference?

Thanks for any suggestions! And, I promise, my next post will be about something I’ve actually purchased. I wanted to go to the mall today, but the snow/ice/’wintry mix’ got in my way.

Movies in Your Mailbox !

and

For fear of being one of only two people blogging(a-hemmmm, attention Alissa, Jane, and Vicky) I tentatively submit one of my favorite things in the world: movies in your mailbox ! I have used Netflix before and currently subscribe to Blockbuster. I love the idea of managing a queue on-line and them shipping me movies. There are different levels of movie-getting from: two out at a time, three, up to eight or something insanely crazy. I am currently on the $14.99/month for 2 out at a time with Blockbuster. I would LOVE to get rid of it, but I just can't. I am a huge fan of TV shows on DVDs and this is perfect, however, I would almost recommend upgrading to 3+ discs/time. Also postage both ways is FREE ! Weeee !

I chose Blockbuster because unlike Netflix, you get a free in-store rental with your watched disc. Instead of you mailing in the disc, the Blockbuster scans it in (giving the website the go-ahead to send you you're next movie) and you get a free rental with your watched disc. Brilliant. Sometimes the wait for new releases from the distribution center is annoying, so instead, I take a watched movie and turn it in for a new release. Easy as pie.

My one complaint with Blockbuster is that their disc turn around time is a little shady. Netflix was so-very fast and I miss their reliability. I could practically set my calendar by Netflix. For me, there is not a Blockbuster distribution center in Austin; my discs come from San Antonio, which isn't that far, but it's farther. Sometimes the wait time is 2-3-4 days, as with Netflix they were here 2 days/3 days max (not counting weekends/holidays/natural disasters).

The Details:
Netflix and Blockbuster (with the prices below, you also get FREE in-store rentals with your mailers) and Netflix
Prices(for both):
$23.99 - 4/time
$17.99 - 3/time
$14.99 - 2/time
$9.99 - 1/time
*Blockbuster also has some limited plans: here