vmac+cheese: a daily lifestyle blog

5.17.13

Posted on May 17, 2013 by vmacandcheese

This week I…

+ adored catching up on Anthony Bourdain’s new show, Parts Unknown. Were you a fan of No Reservations and The Layover? You will love this. Holy crap his production crew knows how to make some amazing TV.

+ really enjoyed this post from Nichole about perspective in relationship. It’s something I’m trying to work on in my own relationship more. Some days it works, some days not, but either way, Nichole’s point is always a great one to keep in mind.

+ am absolutely coveting this shirt. Those colors! It’s just so gorgeous (and such a statement).

+ am considering trying Sarah’s shampoo-free routine. Mostly because washing and styling my hair is a 1.5+ hour time suck and the bane of my existence. Could you ever do something like this? Based on the comments, it sounds like it works for a lot of ladies!

+ moved out of our third and final San Francisco apartment yesterday. I can’t believe how much trash we had considering we just moved 10 months ago. Where did all the junk come from?! And why did we have three Comcast remote controls sitting in a box under our TV?

+ loved supporting the Reclamation Etchworks kickstarter. Don’t forget to donate to score your set of etched bottles, and help a new small biz!

We’re flying to New York on Saturday night on a red eye flight that will get us in early Sunday morning. Joe starts his new job Monday, and we still don’t have an apartment (I can’t even talk about it — it’s a long story that I’ll tell once we actually have a place nailed down). Even with all the chaos, I’m so excited to be starting this new chapter, though saying goodbye to SF has certainly been a little bittersweet. Still though, there’s nothing but good things ahead…and I can’t wait to see what happens starting this Sunday.

In the meantime, have a fantastic weekend!

{Image credit: Rosiecheeeks Flickr}

Filed under Friday Link Love | 21 Comments »

Beauty Review: Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum

Posted on May 16, 2013 by vmacandcheese

They say the older men get, the better they look, and in my own life, I’ve found this to be totally true. Joe’s early signs of wrinkles and the single gray hair that pops up on his temple every now and again? Handsome and kinda adorable. The same signs of age on me? Hmm… It’s not that I mind getting older — I really don’t! — but there is something kinda weird about noticing lines that weren’t there a few months ago. All the advice you heard about taking care of your skin in your teens and twenties springs back in to mind, and you want to kick yourself for ever tanning as a 15 year old (or is that just me?).

But here’s something that popped into my head the other day: Maybe men age so well because their skincare products are their secret weapon. I mentioned ordering Jack Black Protein Booster Skin Serum (yes, for guys!) back in this post, and let me just tell you, I’m sold. I try lots of beauty products all the time (it’s a bit of a vice, I’d say), and this one’s for sure a keeper. It’s not sticky at all — you apply it and it soaks in almost instantly. I have been using it both in the morning, under moisturizer, and at night as well, under one of two moisturizers that I switch between (this one and this one for now). All else equal, I’ve noticed that my skin has been a firmer, brighter, and smoother. In fact, a lot of days I’ve been going with no foundation, concealer, or powder of any kind (did I mention this stuff dries completely matte too?).

One of my favorite aspects of the serum is its aroma. To me, it smells like Earl Grey tea. It’s not overly manly, or girly, it just smells a little herbal. Even Joe is hooked. I mentioned the product to him, and he gave it a whirl one day. His review? He loves how fast it soaks in, and that it can serve as a light moisturizer after he shaves. You heard it here first! He even asked me to order another bottle for his own use. Now that’s a glowing review.

Filed under Beauty | 10 Comments »

Talking Shop

Posted on May 15, 2013 by vmacandcheese

This post is two fold. One, I wanted to let you know that we’ve added two new ‘cocktails’ to The B Bar. These are part of a new category we’re dubbing shots — 1 or 2 page PDFs that cover very particular blogging topics and are everything a shot should be: quick, to the point, and very effective for the price. :) Two are live now (one is on guest posting, and the other covers permalinks), and we’ll be launching one more later in the week (on receiving gifted product, and what counts as income!).

And soon, Meg and I will also be launching some basic media kit templates at the Bar as well, in multiple file formats (think Word, Photoshop, and even PowerPoint). So if you’re not quite ready to hire someone to create one for you, you can always download a basic template and plug in your info and stats on your own (Psst! These will make a great accompaniment to our media kit guide).

With all that being said, I’ve been brainstorming an idea for the blog, and I hope you’ll love it and want to participate!

I’d been toying around with the idea of launching a Q+A or advice column, but didn’t know if people would want to ask me random things about my life (I don’t know, do you? That’s cool too!). Throughout all the consultations I’ve given over the last year and change, I’ve definitely noticed particular questions that come up over and over again from clients. With that in mind, I thought I’d write an occasional column, “Talking Shop,” in which I chat about some of these questions and offer my own experiences and insight. So much of making your way in the blog world is not only learning by trial and error, but from other bloggers too. So let’s talk a little shop, shall we?

I already have a running list of questions I’ve been asked repeatedly both in consults and via email, but if you have any blog or business related questions that you’d like me and the vmac+cheese community to discuss, leave a comment below, tweet me, or leave a post on my Facebook page. I hope to tackle your questions at least once a month, but maybe more!

Ready, set, go!