Plus, a we heart this signature cocktail with BACARDI® Mixers: the Kumquat Kick Back!
It’s no secret, we love to throw a fabulous party, and we take it pretty seriously (see exhibit A and exhibit B.) If we hear at least one person say “Wow, you went all out!” at some point in the evening, we know we did our job.
Our BACARDI® Mixers signature cocktail
So, when we were selected to throw a party to celebrate BACARDI® Mixers and their 99 Days & 99 Drinks campaign, we knew we were up for the challenge. The fact that they were going to develop a signature cocktail for us only sealed the deal.
Although parties like these may look hard to pull off, they’re really not. With just five key elements (and a few time-saving tips) you too can have a shindig that will look like it was WAY more difficult to plan than it really was.
1. Pick a theme. A theme can help create a cohesive party and give direction for every necessary planning step. It can be as simple as a color; with flowers, table linens and even food selections made accordingly. Or, as elaborate as a concept; like old school Hollywood with guests dressed in their most debonair attire, classic black and white movies in the background and a soundtrack of Frank Sinatra songs on top. Because our signature drink included the BACARDI® Mixers Margarita Mix, we went with a Summer Fiesta as our theme.
2. Pour a signature cocktail. This is a sneaky little step. It instantly elevates any party to “fancy” status, but secretly makes things much easier to not have to stock up on every type of ingredient under the sun. Plus, it’s guaranteed to be one of the items your guests will talk about the most. BACARDI® Mixers had that covered for our fiesta. And deliciously covered, at that!
I filled out a questionnaire about my cocktail and party preferences, and they came up with a drink “in honor of (my) laid-back attitude and love for sophisticated flavors…”
Mad Men is back! If you’re a fan, join us regularly for Mad Men Musings – a space to discuss selected highlights, low points, or just plain water-cooler worthy moments of each episode.
Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Mr. Bob Benson: coffee-fetching conman, ingratiating grifter, and Spanish-speaking social climber! It took nearly all season to strip away Bob’s banal mask, and what’s underneath is pretty damn fascinating. Plus, I’m super happy I don’t have to keep saying “what is the DEAL with Bob Benson” anymore, aren’t you?
Before we delve into Bob’s unmasking, though, let’s see how everyone else fared in this penultimate episode. Don’s still waiting for the other shoe to drop; he’s sleeping alone in the guest room, sucking down secret morning screwdrivers, and generally just retreating into an isolatory shell. When Betty calls to talk about Sally, you can see sheer animal panic play across his face.
Not surprisingly, Sally has decided she doesn’t want to visit with Don and Megan anymore; she also wants to go to boarding school. Don immediately throws money at this proposition and engages in a little light phone flirtation with Betty. Also, because there is maybe like 5% of an actual heart left in his caddish chest, he does ask Betty to tell Sally that he and Megan miss her.
Check out the smitten look of love on Ted’s face…
At the office, Don has become increasingly discomfited by the flirty banter panted back and forth of Peggy and Ted. Everyone at SC & P has noticed their behavior, but the two of them seem oblivious – even a righteous helping of Joan’s side-eye goes unnoticed. When Don and Megan run into Pegs and Ted at the movies, Ted insists they’re watching “Rosemary’s Baby” to help with their new pitch for St. Joseph’s. Megan is all like, “OMG” but Don pretends not to care.
And the judgey-judgey faces of Megan and Don!
Peggy has come up with an admittedly genius, even Clio-worthy (albeit creepy) pitch for the aspirin campaign, but it’s already over budget and the St. Joseph exec is not happy. Don agrees to step in and smooth things over, but he kind of has a funny way of doing it.
limited edition shades that bring the fun under the sun!
Summer – it’s a time for sun and sand and new makeup collections! I have been fighting temptation and fighting the good fight by not buying anything that wasn’t an obvious must-have. Then along came NARS with their Summer 2013 Color Collection and I lost the battle!
I had been so confident in my approach until I nearly missed out on my two favorite products from NARS in new limited edition summer shades : their latest Multiple in Puerto Vallarta and Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Paris Follies. And if you haven’t gazed upon their ‘one step beyond orange’ summer nail lacquer in Madness – click here to see it in action.
At first glance, I thought the NARS Multiple in Puerto Vallarta ($39) was just another bronze variation of what’s already out there, and that’s how I dismissed it without a second glance. In online photos and in the tube, Puerto Vallarta seems underwhelming. It appears to be a slightly shimmering, but flat-looking pale orangey bronze – not a color I would immediately gravitate towards. Once on, you realize how close you came to missing out on something special – Puerto Vallarta is a stunner!
Swipe this on your cheeks and you almost won’t believe that the boring color in the sleek, black tube and the one you’re wearing are the same. The end result is a sun-kissed, dewy tangerine with a hint of shimmer that wakes your complexion up. It’s like you spent a day at the beach without the crippling sunburn.
NARS Multiples are designed for lips, cheeks, and eyes, but I find that rarely do they work on all three. I’m drawn to the more blush-like shades, which doesn’t exactly lend itself to wearing on eyes, but Puerto Vallarta looks lovely as a touch of color on lids.
As a lip product, this was a no go for me – it’s a little too pale (but fans of light hues should love it on their lips) and Multiples have a powdery texture that I find drying on lips, but that’s what gives them lasting power as a cream blush (5 hours on my oily skin). Also, I’m not sure if it’s the powdery texture or the quality of shimmer, but my pores seem to disappear when I’m wearing this, so if you’re wary of cream blush due to pore size, this might be the product for you.
The other swoon-worthy item I got to test out was NARS Larger than Life Lip Gloss in Paris Follies ($26). I was intrigued by this gloss before I got to test it, but I held back from buying it because although it is a lovely pinky coral shade, I have many lovely pinky coral lip products. That being said, I should have known better because NARS is well, NARS.
Picasso had his blue period, I am clearly in an orange…
Date: June 16.2013 Polish:ORLY Mayhem Mentality, an outrageously neon coral-leaning orange cream. We’re talking practically glowing neon.
Mayhem Mentality is part of the new Mash Up collection for summer 2013. I’ll be bringing you all the shades over the next few weeks, because I’m downright obsessed with every one of them. The collection is just so colorful and summery, the bottles alone make me happy!
shiny happy polish
Photos don’t do Mayhem Mentality justice. It’s seriously neon. So neon that it’s hard to capture the intensity of it. And rather than just a straight forward orange, it has a bit of coral to it that makes it really creamy looking. The formula is a dream too, especially for a neon; 2 coats, no streaks.
I love the ORLY design all around; a rubber gripped handle, an old school round brush and a big ol’ bottle. These very well may be my favorite polish packaging design (big praise coming from a packaging snob like myself.)
Check out the footage of the ORLY team participating in the Color Run. How fun does that look?
we heartsters, are you a neon fan? I highly suggest you give this a glow, er…go!
Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, graphic designer, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Big weekend for me! It’s the Kiehl’s Freinds and Family event so I get to stock up on one of my top two holy grail skincare products – Calendula Toner. If you have oily or sensitive skin, this stuff is a must-have. Those marigold petals soothe like nothing else. I praise it to anyone who asks, and even to those who don’t. I buy the $62 bottle without hesitation, but love when I can get it at a discount! Use the code FAMILY and take 20% off now through June 17.
On to the League…
Question of the Week: What’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had? (Details, please!)
Answer: My most regrettable hairstyle was Tyna’s 10th grade perm. Just kidding! You know what, I really don’t regret any of my hairstyles. I’ve had some doozies, but at the time I loved them all.
Phyrra – Want a camera bag without sacrificing style? You need the Epiphanie Lola, the best bag for beauty and fashion bloggers!
we heart this – tests Hourglass No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil and asks the question “do you really need a $42 lip product?” Sorry wallets everywhere, you really do.
My Beauty Bunny – Want vibrant, sugar-coated candy nails for summer? Of course you do! We’ve got a look at the new Milani Texture Nail Lacquers that will add a sweet pop of texture to your summer mani.
Nouveau Cheap – If you’re a bright, bold matte eyeshadow lover who is also on a budget, you just might want to click right here.
Guest Post of the Week, as chosen by Phyrra – Izzy from Musings of a Muse has been my guide for finding beauty most unusual, as well as the best in BB and CC creams. LOVE her blog!
What about you we heartsters, what’s the most regrettable hairstyle you’ve ever had?
We made it to another weekend readers! This week at wht we dove into Aqualillies, tarte’s colorful and waterproof collection for summer, discovered the new must-have for lip balm addicts; Hourglass No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil and felt the heat with MAC’s Temperature Rising line of bronzers and body oils. But life is about more than beauty products, here are a few links that made us happy this week:
• Have a picnic or party coming up and need a crowd-pleasing desert? Our image today comes from Christina of epicuricloud who has discovered the secret to whipping up a party sized batch of Nestle Toll House Recipe Bars (and couldn’t you eat one – or ten – of them right now?) – Bar Cookies for a Crowd – Recipe Tip
• Still reeling from last Sunday’s Mad Men episode? Just imagine what Sally must be feeling! (You can read our recap of ‘Favors’ here.) The folks at Vulture were worrying over Sally’s psyche as well and talked to professional to put it all in prospective. – A Psychiatrist Analyzes Mad Men’s Traumatized Sally Draper
• Speaking of Mad Men, if you love images from the 1950′s, have I got a site for you! Check out the work of Vivian Maier, a reserved nanny in 50′s NYC that had a love for photography but never shared a single image of her work. Decades later, after her incredible photographs were discovered when John Maloof purchased a box of never-developed film negatives from his local auction house, Vivian is being hailed as “possibly the most important street photographer of the 20th century.” Spend some time ogling her work starting with this collection – New York portfolio
• Finally, my biggest squee of the week came when I heard one of my most beloved bands of all time the Replacements, will be reuniting for a few shows this summer! If you are lucky enough to be in Toronto, Chicago or Denver, I highly suggest you take the chance to see this legendary band! – Replacements reunion at Riot Fest
Readers – what had you squeeing in excitement this week?
Tyna, co-founder and co-editor of wht, worries about becoming a crazy cat lady, reads at least a book a week, checks in at a Flyers fan forum every morning and is forever (some say obsessively) organizing her closets and drawers.
As if the eye and lip selections from Temperature Rising weren’t enough to stoke our feverish desires, MAC has also brought us a swoon-inducing array of bronzers to add shimmer and glow to our summer.
How many bronzers do your cheeks and body need? MAC Temperature Rising has covered any possibility with this release, and we tested every option:
The packaging for this collection is standard MAC with a few twists. All of the MAC Temperature Rising compacts have the limited-edition glowing bronze finish that screams hot summer nights to me. While the liquids come in MAC’s standard pump bottles with a locking feature that’s great for preventing leaks. Packaging aside, let’s talk about the colors!
Ripe for Love
Ripe For Love Powder Blush ($23) – a mid-tone apricot/peach that blends into a satin dark coral on the skin. This truly “ripe” color is the kind of glowing neutral that will work on practically any skintone. The creamy powder formula has only a hint of shimmer, which adds a subtle gleam. Talk about summer lovin’… if you’re a blush addict, track this color down!
Refined Golden – finely spun bronze gold with soft pearl finish, with all the features I want in a bronzing powder: not too shimmery, easily buildable, believable. The color is on the darker side, but on my NC25 skin, just a light dusting gives me a natural-looking color (too much, and honestly, I’m a little dirty looking). The shimmer is almost invisible, but if I look closely, it’s there, adding a touch of magic to my “tan.”
I’ve seen many people outing themselves as lip balm addicts here on we heart this. There is no shame in it. Truth is, lip moisturizing is big business with Americans spending two hundred million bucks a year on balm products alone. Addicts apply and re-apply obsessively – compulsively – seeking to retain that first swipe of suppleness.
Truth is, most lip balms and moisturizers contain petroleum which actually does nothing to retain moisture or nourish lips. So, we apply the product over and over, constantly seeking the softness we always seem to lack, spending more and more money along the way. Immediate gratification, lackluster results. Well, move over petroleum, Hourglass has got your number and it’s 28 – No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil, that is.
As many already know, Hourglass is a luxury line and it’s no surprise that their No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil ($42) is a luxury product. This lip treatment is free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic dyes and petroleum derivatives and like all Hourglass products it’s cruelty free.
Instead of petroleum, this anti-aging lip oil contains 14 essential oils (like lemon and orange seed oil and clove and sweet almond oil to name a few) along with Salipornine 8, a succulent derivative that studies have shown to increase moisture in the skin 6000 percent if used consecutively for 28 days. There are other fancy-schmancy proven wrinkle reducers and skin volumizers as well.
“Who and what are Aqualillies?” is what I asked myself when I first found out about the new tarte Cosmetics’ summer collection. I must be hiding under a rock because I soon found out that they are America’s most glamorous synchronized swimming group. No, really. They are incredibly gorgeous and so unbelievably talented it’s kind of insane.
Inspired by these retro-glam water ballerinas, this summer collection is all about looking and staying gorgeous. The Aqualillies for tarte line features products bursting with sun-kissed colors all in waterproof formulas.
To introduce the collection, tarte treated Los Angeles area beauty bloggers and the media to the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica to witness a performance by the inspiring group. And as you can see, they looked amazing before, during and after the show – and their makeup was still flawless after a dip in the pool.
To get a taste of this talented, eclectic group, check out the Aqualillies site and watch their lively video. You’ll soon be inspired to dive in a pool and start dancing!
Who can blame tarte for creating a makeup collection with the Aqualillies as their muses? Talk about a cool concept! Today, we’re looking at the star of the line and between the inspiration to the final execution, the Amazonian Clay Waterproof Eye and Cheek Palette ($38) seriously does not disappoint.
Tarte really did make a splash (pun absolutely intended) with this gorgeous, limited edition palette. Our favorite eco-friendly and cruelty-free makeup company just gets better and better. I can just cry tears of joy that this palette includes only eyeshadows and blushes. The fact that it’s waterproof is an awesome idea (more on that in a bit) and you get a full range of products to produce an entire look.
Mad Men is back! If you’re a fan, join us regularly for Mad Men Musings – a space to discuss selected highlights, low points, or just plain water-cooler worthy moments of each episode.
Favors can be such simple things, a quick way to help someone in need. But what happens when a favor tips a set of dominoes into irrevocable motion, the kind that can alter lives? With two episodes of Mad Men left in the season, we’re about to find out. And it’s not going to be pretty, my friends.
Sylvia and Arnold’s son, Mitchell, serves at the catalyst for the main event. The Vietnam War has been an omnipresent dark presence in the background this season, but Mitchell brings it to the foreground. Having sent his military draft card back in protest, he’s now caught between going to war or running away, fugitive style. Of course, Sylvia and Arnold are complete wrecks over this, and Don becomes increasingly desperate to find a solution, a way to help.
There are so many reasons for Don’s motivation here: his deep respect for Arnold, his belief that “war is wrong,” and perhaps most of all, his own tortured memories, the burden of guilt that he drags around with him like a dead body. (We’ll get to Sylvia in a second). Saving Mitchell becomes a redemptive and symbolic gesture, a way for Don to try to balance the scales. (Oh, the irony).
Don is so intent on helping Mitchell that he even attempts to broach the subject at a Chevy business dinner, because GM is a major defense contractor. Super gauche, Don. Ted and Roger deftly steer the conversation away from the danger zone, but Ted is NOT PLEASED. In fact, Ted’s been nursing a Don-grudge all around the office, slamming doors and whining about juice – the dual fruity goodness of Sunkist and Ocean Spray, to be exact. Because the agency is still not properly integrated (people are not getting the memo, quite literally) Ted thinks Don is still trying to make power plays and pull rank via the Sunkist account. In reality, Don could care less about cranberries and oranges – in his head, it’s all Mitchell, all the time, right now.
In a funnily obtuse conversation between Ted and Don, rife with war and gun references, Ted finally sees Don’s desperation and offers a potential way out for Mitchell, in the form of a high-ranking official in the National Guard who is “always looking for good pilots.” Don seems flabbergasted that Ted would help out in this way; in Don’s world, everything usually comes with a price. And sure, Ted wants Don to stop working against him and start working with him, but he’s also just being a good guy, as is his custom.
Don tries to reach Arnold, to give him the potentially good news, but, yeah, Sylvia answers. This was one of three moments this episode where I felt like I was watching a horror movie, saying “No! Don’t go in there! Don’t listen to him, Sylvia!” But, alas, they went there – a grateful, tearful Sylvia is confident that Don fixed things just for her, and the longer their conversation went on, the deeper my heart sank. Here’s the thing (and I’m hoping to see what you guys think): Don was not helping Mitchell because of Sylvia. Maybe he was in a very abstract way, but it seems to me that his fixation was much more about himself, about Dick Whitman, than it ever was about the affair. A grateful, emotionally fragile and ready-to-rekindle-hot-sex Sylvia? That’s just a glorious bonus prize for Don, and he’s not above taking total advantage of it.
Our BACARDI® Mixers signature cocktail
