I believe in love at first sight. Call me a romantic. I think connections can be instant and lasting. And I think it extends to friendship, too.
I’ll never forget the day I met Christopher Ryan. The mythology of Mr. Ryan was strong. Christopher had been the tenor soloist in the church choir I sing with (CPC singers, holla!)–part of the esteemed alumni of paid section leaders/ringers that make the rest of us sound like we know what we’re doing. Everyone who knew him loved him, unequivocally. By the time I joined the choir, he had moved to NYC, but his presence still rang through the stories in the choir loft years after he sang his last C5 there.
It is no exaggeration when I say the talent we get through the choir is top notch. We seriously work with the best of the best. Our soloists have gone on to illustrious careers on Broadway, operas around the globe, professors at nationally recognized music programs and composers, conductors and featured soloists. The opportunity to finally meet Christopher Ryan in person came in 2009 when our tenor soloist, James Kryshak was a National Semi-Finalist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions being held in New York City. My sister, Holly lives in NYC and I will take any excuse for a reason to visit. I asked Jim if I could go—he said yes—so I went! And I learned Christopher would be attending, too.
I was scrolling through my Instagram feed one day and came across a text only post. It said “NAME THREE THINGS YOU LOVE ABOUT YOURSELF” My mind went blank. Seriously. Blank. So I took a screenshot of the post and thought, I’ll think about this and get back to you, Instagram post. And then I promptly forgot about it. Today I was scrolling through my photo reel and there it was. Staring me in the face. I wish I didn’t feel like it was mocking me, but I did. Why couldn’t I just come up with three things, like, it should be so easy, right?!! But also, if I did just spout off three things that I love about myself, don’t I then sound sort of conceited? Why is it so hard to practice self love? I know, this is a beauty/lifestyle blog…. so forgive me for getting all deep on you, but I feel like this is a big deal. And if I couldn’t just very simply come up with three things, surely I am not alone? Hello? Anyone there? Even as I write this, the struggle is real. So today, at the risk of feeling a little bit vulnerable, I will share with you three things I love about myself. Will you share three with me?
XO – Pamela
instagram screenshot from @thedetoxmarket
My type A tendencies
It seems that often, people will start speaking of someone in terms of being type A or type B when they feel they need to point out something they see as a personality flaw. But are these tendencies really flaws either way? I love to feel organized. I like to have my time efficiently planned out. I like making lists. I’ll read the whole owner’s manual for our new truck so I know what everything does, before I start just pushing all the buttons. Am I a bit of a control freak? Sure. Do I lack patience? Yeah, sometimes I do. Do I get things done? Hell yes. And at the end of the day I don’t feel bad about any of it.
My strength
Strength or being strong, can mean so many things. I am specifically talking about my personal physical strength. Now, don’t get me wrong….. I’m not someone who lifts weights or competes in fitness competitions, or can even win at arm wrestling. But ask me to hold a strong plank for the length of a song, and I will own that. I can wall sit all day (well, probably not literally all day.) My job requires a certain amount of physical strength, and I do a pretty good job at my job. Are there a million people out there one billion times stronger? You bet. But I feel strong for me. I think it’s pretty great to feel strong.
My hair
It feels a little weird to admit to loving one of my physical features….. it seems like pure vanity. I do though. I’ve always been really lucky to have a great head of hair. I can wear any style with ease and I feel like I’ve had it all. From super short pixie, to really long all one length. Bangs, or no bangs. It all seems to work for me. It’s super thick, which sometimes feels like a curse, but I know it’s probably a hair trait coveted by many. These days the gray hairs are far beyond a few, but I don’t mind terribly when they start to show…. besides, my husband thinks they’re cute. I’ve never wanted to be blonde. I love being brunette. Like anyone, I do have bad hair days, but in the end I really love my hair. (It doesn’t hurt that I have an amazing stylist as well – Sherri, owner of Epic salon in downtown Neenah, for any of you Fox Valley ladies who are looking for a fantastic salon.)
Remember a few weeks ago when I told you what I was packing for my beach vacation? Well, vacation happened, and it was amazing!! Costa Rica is a beautiful place with beautiful, wonderful people. Highly recommend. I tried some new things on this trip, so I thought I would let you know what worked and what didn’t. Here we go! Continue reading →
I have no shame about the fact that I love television. As a young kid, I had a very specific attention span to get through an hour long episode of Sesame Street, followed by the soothing kindness of Mr. Rogers (unless the Purple Panda was on- that shit was terrifying!!). As I got older, the Justice League taught me lessons in truth, justice, and not to chew on pencils, Lynda Carter spun into my heart as Wonder Woman, and I would lose my mind if the opening credits to Batman included Batgirl’s motorcycle rolling in. We would have smorgasbord dinners Thursdays while watching The Cosby Show, and we loved the poorly drawn Simpsons interludes during The Tracy Ullman Show. Point is, TV and I have always been tight.
Did you know we’re living in the Golden Age of Television?? It’s a real thing, happening right now! There has never been a time with more quality content, yet my TiVo has tumbleweeds blowing through it. Why? Well, because shows take their sweet time between seasons now that we get our entertainment without the confinement of traditional television broadcasting rules. And this is driving me mental.
Some of my favorite show are taking FOR. FREAKING. EVER. to return to the airwaves. Specifically:
Jess and Pam and I talk mainly using social media. (Snapchat—primarily—because who doesn’t want to talk to each other while looking like a dog or with a fancy headband and perfect lighting.) Since Pam lives in Appleton and Jess and I live in Madison, sadly, we only see each other in person a few times a year. But because of technology, we are able to keep up with each other in a way that is quick, easy and admittedly fun.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, we started this blog as a forum to extend those conversations we were already having with each other through social media and open them up to more women we knew—and those we don’t. We wanted to have ways to share ideas and tips and reviews of the things circulating through our lives. Women supporting other women. (sometimes to make purchases on things they don’t need, but I digress…)
Aside from our overall concept, we don’t really have a plan, necessarily. Or an editorial calendar we follow. We meet monthly and talk out some ideas and create a posting schedule. But our general operating plan is to write about something that grabs us in the moment, share the posting duties between the three of us and get two posts up on the blog a week.
All of this back story is to stay—today is my day to post—and I just found out from a friend over Facebook Messenger this morning (seriously, how would we have any social interactions in our lives today without technology?!) that it’s International Women’s Day and there is a Women’s Strike planned. She wanted to know my plan for the day.
You guys! Reader and friend of the blog, Liz, wrote to us today to ask a question that I can 100% relate to:
I don’t usually wear makeup to work, because I have to leave the house by 6:45am, and I am NOT a morning person. I’d love to wear bold lipstick to work, but I feel that if I’m wearing lipstick, then I should probably put makeup on the rest of my face.
Do you have advice for how I might QUICKLY do makeup for myself? Like, what are the quickest and most effective ways I can look put-together enough that a bold lipstick will make sense? I’m talking between two and five minutes of application. I worry that if I slap makeup on, it looks too fakey. I also am getting to a point where I want to focus on minimizing the look of wrinkles and under-eye circles and other evidence that I’m in the latter half of my thirties.
Giiiirrrrrrlll, I feel this! I EXTRA DOUBLE suck at mornings. They are the worst, and I usually waste more than a little time staring into space, wishing an “oh no! A water main broke and the whole world is closed! Please go back to bed!” email would come in. So far that has not happened, so usually I also only have only 2-5 minutes to apply makeup on my early morning days.
In my Ipsy bag this month, I got a red NYX lipstick in the color, Lifeguard. Seeing that lipstick totally set me on a nostalgic turn thinking of my first job, being a lifeguard at the Phillips Community Pool. I immediately wanted to listen to a 90s playlist and reminisce about my days up in the chair. And it started me thinking about how much that first job informed who I am today.
The lipstick that started the conversation–Lifeguard by NYX. Photo courtesy of nyxcosmetics.com
It also dawned on me that I wasn’t sure I knew what Pamela or Jess’ first jobs were–I did!–but I was curious how they felt their first jobs had influenced them.
So this is the story of our first paychecks: where we got them, what we did and how those experiences imprinted who we would become.
You know how Lyn is a light-packing magician?? Turns out I am the exact opposite of her: I always check a bag. I always bring one too many pairs of shoes and 47 t-shirts. I always come home with 50% of my clothes unworn. But hey! I’m ok with it, and I still dream of a weekend getaway, someday, where I manage to pack everything I need in my purse (which is literally a gym bag and also the greatest carry on bag of all time. Damn you Lululemon for not making it anymore!!!!).
Once a year, my husband and I take a break from life and hit the beach. Usually we head to Mexico, but this year we are mixing it up and checking out the beaches of Costa Rica! Our goals for our beach vacations always prioritize relaxation- we don’t really go out to fancy dinners or go clubbing or anything, and we mostly stick to the resort, but we will do some off-site adventures. Over the years, I’ve come up with a few edits and additions to my packing to make sure my beach vacay is on point:
Now, obviously, this doesn’t include all of my clothes, carry on essentials, books, or hats, but these are the things I felt should be singled out. Let’s start from the top!
Happy February! Well, we’re still getting through bundled up snowy, cold days, but at least the days are getting longer. The sun is even out today! Hello, The Sun! As I work my way out of hibernation mode, here are some things that I am really digging:
Breakfast of Champions
Most days, I’m bad at breakfast, especially if I’m up early. Just… nothing sounds good? But I know that I perform better if I have a little something, so I have come up with a solution that tastes like magic: Salted Caramel Oatmeal.
Now, I don’t know who at Big Oatmeal decided that oatmeal flavors should all be gross (I mean seriously- no one has invented peanut butter oatmeal?? But strawberries and cream is a thing??) but whatever, I can take this into my own hands. I prepare one package of plain oatmeal (yeah yeah, I know instant is the saddest of all oatmeals, but I’m going for better-than-nothing here!), nuke it for a minute, then top it with 15 grams of these magical sea salt caramel flavored chips, and stir in their melty goodness. BOOM- I have a breakfast that a) tastes like a cookie b) tastes great with coffee c) is easy to eat and deal with and d) clocks in at 180 calories. This is the perfect solution for me when I need a little gas in the tank to lift in the morning, or if I have early clients.
Easy, Moisturized Lips
Obviously, I will forever and ever love a bold lip, but lately I have been in the mood for something natural looking while being hella moisturizing. I’ve been really into grabbing this Rimmel London Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner in the shade Eastend Snob, which is a “my lips but better” cool pinky neutral. I line and fill in my lips, then top it with Chapstick Total Hydration Moisture + Tint in Rose Petal, which I have been loving during these dry winter days. Is anyone else sleeping with a humidifier blowing right on your face? Anyway, this combo gives a nice no-makeup makeup look that holds up with regular, pleasant reapplications of the lightly tinted Chapstick. Because winter.
The Santa Clarita Diet
Haaaaaaaave you guys watched this yet? Netflix continues to kill it (ha! I swear I didn’t do that on purpose!) with their originals, and this one is no exception. Last weekend was super grey and cold, so MB and I hunkered down in sweatpants, hot tea, and face masks, and binged on this little gem about a suburban realtor (Drew Barrymore) who suddenly becomes undead and develops an appetite for human flesh while also living her best life. If you don’t like blood (Lyn!) or random but totally realistic swearing outbursts, maybe this isn’t the show for you, but we found it to be laugh-out-loud funny and ridiculous. Plus it filled my “zombies living in the real world” void while I’m waiting FOREVER for iZombie season 3 to start.
Is This My New Favorite Concealer?
I’m pretty fair-weather when it comes to concealer- I just haven’t found my glass slipper yet. I like Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind ok, but sometimes it seems too yellow for me. Their Fit Me concealer is in my rotation, too- the color is much better and I like the formula a lot- but as the day wears on, it settles into my creases. I picked up this new Outlast All-Day Soft Touch by Cover Girl last week, and I’ve really been liking it! It blends pretty well, covers my redness and sleepiness (I don’t struggle too much with darkness under my eyes, but do like to brighten up and cover some spots), and doesn’t seem to crease as the day goes on. I’m going to keep playing with it, but so far, so good.
Jeans That Fit (WHAT)
Inspired by Pamela’s closet purge, I recently took to my own. I had a huge stack of jeans in there- so huge, I didn’t even know what was in that pile (I found a leopard print pair!! What!!). I have been hating all of my jeans for the past few years, so I literally got rid of them ALL. Ok- I kept 2 pairs that are, like, lazy Saturday men’s jeans that are fine but not great and maybe I’ll hack them into shorts or something. My jeans struggle is this: I have curves. I have a hip measurement that once made a dressmaker tell me “that can’t be right”. My legs are also, you know, great for squats, but bad for knee-high boots? Second only to swimsuit shopping, jeans shopping is THE WORST, but now I was left in a position where I had to find some, and I wanted to find the right ones, not just “good enough” ones. After a lot of miserable shopping trips, fitting rooms, and internet returns, I have come up with two pairs of jeans that are making me super happy and feeling fly:
These jeans are everything I want in a jean- the high waist isn’t, like, mom-jeans high- it sits right where I want my jeans to sit (on top of my hip bone), doesn’t dip down in the back, and stays on my butt, which these jeans make look amazing. I got these in a dark blue wash (Blue Story) which are great for dressing up or down. They have a bit of stretch in them, but still feel like jeans, not jeggings. Plus, Levi’s are always a classic.
So of course, after searching high and low (price) for a perfect pair of jeans, I find a great pair- on clearance, no less- at Target. I love these jeans! Again, they are labeled high rise, but I think they sit in just the right spot, and actually fit my waist rather then try to squiggle around it. These also feel like heavy, real denim, and the added stretch makes them fit like a dream. Who knew high waisted would be the answer?? Maybe I did- my previous favorite pair of black jeans were a high waisted pair from H&M- but I was resistant because we were all brainwashed through the low-slung, hip-hugging horror that was the 2000’s.
What are you loving right now? What have you been watching? Eating? Wearing? Are you going on a trip soon that’s not cold and grey?? Tell us in the comments!
I bought all of this stuff with my own money, so I enjoy a good sale rack. All photos are my own unless otherwise noted.
I’ve been sick (which is also why this post is going up so late.) Not lay in bed and don’t go out for a week sick, just annoying, lingering, winter is the worst sick. And it’s an insult to injury situation because I rarely get sick. I have a tried and true arsenal I employ when I feel the first hint of sickness coming on that works. But because—LIFE—I wasn’t on my game and bam. Sickness.
And as much as I want to be in my favorite pink pajamas cuddling with my pups, drinking tea and watching Netflix (I fantasize a life where getting sick is like a vacation) life—and work—goes on. Sometimes work means being seen in public and trying to not look on the outside like the hot mess I feel on the inside.
Last week, I had to present at the Minnesota Governor’s Conference on Tourism, a pretty nice professional accomplishment. Not only was the event stressful on its own, but it was made worse due to my major fear I would just sit on the panel coughing the entire time. (I didn’t—thank goodness!)
But it made me up my makeup game to create a look that would somewhat mask the signs of sickness, be easy to wear, and not take too many products since I also had to travel. And I think it worked!
Hopefully, you can avoid this nastiness that is going around—but if it strikes and you still need to be presentable—here’s what I did to try and make myself look better than I feel.
Skin: When I’m sick, I feel like I have a weird shine to my skin. Like a special glow that alerts the world to stand back and save themselves. So I definitely wanted to go for more of a matte finish. Plus, my nose is red and dry, I’m wicked tired so my dark circles are even worse than normal—which I didn’t think was possible—and I have stupid pimple that I need to hide. Awesome.
Sadly—the full size is a jar—so I won’t be purchasing it. I don’t do jars or pots. #weird
So the first step was moisturizing. I used a sample of the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Cream which was really nice. It wasn’t heavy or greasy and sunk into my skin quickly without leaving a shine.
I just got a 10% off code from Sephora so I ordered this in “Light”. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Risky move—but I tried a sample of the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better™ CC+™ Cream with SPF 50+–and I’m so glad I did. YouTubers have been singing its praises—and I agree—it was very moisturizing but had great coverage for a CC cream. It’s also very easy to spread and blend, so I applied it with my fingers. The sample I received was in “Medium” which I think was slightly too dark, but it definitely warmed up my dead looking skin. Using a lighter concealer color helped even out the overall skin tone.
I generally go with a very light coverage formula like Glossier Stretch Concealer or Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Treatment Concealer. But speaking of YouTube favorites—a while ago I bought the Tarte Double Duty Beauty Shape Tape Contour Concealer based on nearly every makeup gurus’ recommendation—but I’ve only worn it a few times. I find it’s a very heavy duty concealer, not what I normally go for, but exactly what I needed to get the job done. Using my trusty Beauty Blender, I applied it under my eyes, around my nose, on my pimple and in between my brows. I have the color “Light/Medium” and it had nice brightening to it in addition to coverage. It blended great and definitely covered up the redness. It’s also creamy enough that it didn’t hang onto the dryness around my nose and instead made it feel and look better. It’s still too full coverage for me to use daily, but I’m glad I have it on hand for times like these.
I’m always on the pale side, but with this cold, I feel splotchy but also ghost like. So I didn’t go with a highlighter because I really don’t want to be seen from outer space right now, but I did apply a little blush, The Estée Edit,The Barest Blush in First Lover. This one has been my favorite since I got it during the Sephora 20% off sale—and although I have a million blushes—it’s really all I use.
This line of brushes is so good– you can get them almost anywhere–and usually on sale.
Eyes: My goal was to keep my eyes looking polished but not a danger zone if they started watering. I also wanted to minimize any redness, so my Modern Renaissance palette had to take a seat. Instead, I kept if very simple. I just used the Maybelline® Eye Studio® Color Tattoo® Leather 24HR Eyeshadow in Chocolate Suede—another E&N favorite—and applied it with a Sigma Beauty, E58 – Cream Color Brush. You can easily apply these colors with your finger, but I went the brush route. And yes—these shadows are a life saver—I think I have them in almost every color.
A random visit to the Mall of America resulted in impulse Sigma brush purchases.
I didn’t apply eye liner, I just used the edge of the brush to apply product close to the lash line. I also used my finger a little to smudge the crease and do a cleanup.
After curling my lashes, I applied the CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Waterproof Mascara. It provides a nice curl, separates lashes and stays put. I think it’s hard to find a good waterproof mascara and I like this one lots.
Lips: I love a bold lip but adding additional redness to my face didn’t seem like a good idea. I also felt like I needed a lipstick that wouldn’t smear all over my face with my constant nose blowing. So I went very basic with a neutral color but one that wasn’t too nude so I didn’t look dead. I’ve really been into this NYX Lip Lingerie Lipstick in Exotic. It has a warm tone, lasts longer than a cream lipstick but isn’t as matte as a proper liquid lipstick and creates a bit of a stain. Plus I didn’t want to dry out my poor lips anymore than they already were and even the best liquid lipsticks are a bit drying. This formula stayed on and only required one update before I spoke.
I slept a ton this weekend and I feel like I’m on the other end of this thing. *fingers crossed* But I’ve basically been replicating this look daily since I’ve been sick. Hopefully, you’re all feeling great and can just use this as a basic makeup look. But if sickness sadly does strike, you can use this look for inspiration.
Here’s to your health! *cheers with OJ and tea*
I acquired these products with my money or through samples received spending my money. Photos were obtained through product websites.
Obviously, I will forever and ever love a bold lip, but lately I have been in the mood for something natural looking while being hella moisturizing. I’ve been really into grabbing this 
I’m pretty fair-weather when it comes to concealer- I just haven’t found my glass slipper yet. I like Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind ok, but sometimes it seems too yellow for me. Their Fit Me concealer is in my rotation, too- the color is much better and I like the formula a lot- but as the day wears on, it settles into my creases. I picked up 
