Any Second Now

Monkeying Around at Kipling’s Fashion Valley Grand Opening!

I took my family to the grand opening of Kipling’s first full price retail location in the San Diego area at Fashion Valley. As I’ve mention previously, my mum is a big fan of Kipling, and really only carries their brand of crossbody bags, totes, and backpacks. After getting to know the company, I can see why!

Our tale is a fun one that dates back to 1987, when three designer pals in Antwerp, Belgium stumbled upon a happy accident on a loom and discovered crinkled nylon fabric … and voila! A world of bright and colorful bags and accessories were born. Playfully dubbed Kipling, after the clever little spirit of the monkeys in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, our story came to life and has been an inspiration around the world ever since. – From the official Kipling Website

The new store is bright, colorful and fun just like their bags! I know my mum loves the utility of Kipling’s purses in their signature crinkle nylon. She never has to worry about her purses getting wet or having stuck zippers, and is never lacking for easy style.

It was a change of pace for me to bring more than just my hubby or son to an event, but it made for a fun late afternoon with my family. Be sure to visit Kipling’s newest location at Fashion Valley, cheers!

My favorites: The metallics

No detail was spared! How cute are the decorative elements on the tables?

Dominic and Mei-Lin are enjoying the sounds of the DJ

Grabbed a quick picture with one of my blogger buddies, Vanessa of Fashion Mixtape!

It was fun bringing my family to an event, and of course my mum couldn’t leave without purchasing a new Kipling backpack (which earned her the free gift with purchase)!

My new little pouch c/o Kipling is so cute!

Daisy Mae PR #Popshop & Industry Party Recap

I have a tiny bit of a lull in-between all of the fun happenings I’ve been attending, so I’m going to finally post up some of the recent events I’ve been to in the last few weeks. Last month, I attended Daisy Mae PR’s first annual #Popshop & Industry Party that I posted about on the San Diego Style Bloggers site (post here), located at Luco Hair & Skin in Hillcrest. I’ve never been to that salon before, and it’s quite an interesting location. I guess you could say it’s nestled in a canyon of sorts, in among beautiful trees, which takes you a bit away from the urban sprawl located just a stairway away. The event was created to showcase local talent in fashion, food, music and beauty.

Thank you Alisa (Daisy Mae PR) for inviting me to your debut San Diego event!

Featured Designers, DJ, Photographer, Bites and Sips:

Come to Kiehl’s LifeRide for amfAR Wrap Party This Weekend at Fashion Valley!

Kiehl’s is having a wonderful event tomorrow to support the final stretch of LifeRide for amfAR, which is their philanthropic collaboration to ride across the US to raise funds and awareness for AIDS research. This two-week motorcycle ride culminates right here in San Diego at the Kiehl’s location in Fashion Valley from 12pm-1pm. There will be bites and sips courtesy of Soda & Swine and Juice Saves, and you can also meet all the riders!

I’ve always known about Kiehl’s and their wonderful products, but got a chance to know Kiehl’s a little better recently by trying some of their more popular ones. In reading up on their history, I had no idea they started out as a pharmacy back in 1851! That alone lets me know they’re experts in understanding what’s best for my skin and how to take care of it. My immediate favorites were the Ultra Facial Cream and Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. Both are rich and creamy, so you don’t need much to get what you need out of the product, and my skin just drank it up! My next favorite was their Lip Balm #1. I have incredibly dry lips that are constantly peeling, especially in summer weather. My lips stayed soft and didn’t peel at all the entire day!

My next on the list to try will be the Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate and the Super Fluid UV Defense Sunscreen. I’ll definitely be using the sunscreen at this weekend’s event, as we know it’s going to be a hot one here in San Diego. It’s +50 SPF, so I know I’m going to get the protection I want!

I’m excited for Kiehl’s event with amfAR tomorrow! Be sure to follow along on my Instagram (@any2ndnow) for all the fun, and you can join the conversation by using #LifeRide6. Additionally, Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic and founder of San Diego Style Bloggers will also be on site to cover the celebratory festivities, so please come on by. Cheers!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

(All photos taken by me, except for the flier which was courtesy of Kiehl’s.)

Girls Night Out with Sassy City Chicks August 12!

(I posted this on San Diego Style Bloggers, and wanted to post it here as well, since it’s this Wednesday!)

Looking for something to do on Wednesday night with your girls? Check out Sassy City Chicks Girls Night Out event on August 12, 2015. Here’s the best part: we have 25 tickets to give away! It’s first come, first served so follow these instructions below to get your complimentary ticket!

Redeem a ticket by using the code SHOPSD

Visit www.sassycitychicks.com

Click on the SAN DIEGO button and enter the code.

A complimentary ticket option will then appear!

When:

August 12, 2015

6pm-10pm

Where:

Parq Restaurant & Nightclub

615 Broadway

San Diego, CA 92101

“Bride & The City” Brunch at The W San Diego August 9th

Calling all brides-to-be: The W San Diego Hotel will be hosting a lovely brunch at 10am, followed by the Elle Bridal Boutique Fashion Show on Sunday August 9th, 2015. I’ve always found these types of events to be very helpful when trying to plan for a wedding because there’s SO much to manage regarding one of the biggest events in your life. Why not gather as much help and information as you can get, directly from experts?

If you’re interested in attending, tickets can be purchased at the following link: www.thewsandiegohotel.com/brideandthecity

Cheers!

Make Happy: Kipling Opens at Fashion Valley August 7th!

Kipling and it’s adorable little monkey has been a long time favorite of my mum. Her loyalty to the brand is admirable, so I’m sure she will be happy to know that Kipling will be opening it’s very first full priced retail store in San Diego at Fashion Valley! In fact, Kipling is holding a lovely little soiree that you are all invited to this Friday from 5pm-8pm with a live DJ, sips, bites and a free Kipling tote if you spend $150 in-store that night (while supplies last).

I’ll be there with my family, so be sure to stop by!

Fun & Affordable Glasses at Firmoo.com

With spectacles firmly cemented as part of my style, I’ve been trying to mix-up my glasses game. I have several pairs that are solid, so it’s always fun to try glasses with patterns, outside of the uber-classic tortoise. I recently checked out Firmoo.com and without even trying, I found this fantastic pair of spectacles in an interesting black, white and red pattern (style #F048) through their great search feature, which allows filtering by material, gender, frame type & shape, by color and even by pattern.

Before I made my final decision, I checked out all of the specs and compared the measurements to other glasses I already own. I then used Firmoo’s virtual try on to ensure the glasses would actually fit the shape of my face. I was so happy to see that these glasses would be a perfect addition to my collection! I then uploaded my prescription (along with PD, which is the Pupillary Distance) and placed my order. A couple of weeks later, I received my fab new glasses, which I wore recently to the Spandau Ballet concert at Humphreys By The Bay. They are light but sturdy, and arrived with hard & soft glasses cases, a lens cleaning cloth and mini-screwdriver. Also, your eyes do not deceive you: my glasses with prescription single-vision lenses were just $36! They constantly have new styles added in their “New Arrivals” section, and they also have a coupon code page where new customers can get great deals sitewide. I love my new glasses and I highly recommend Firmoo.com to purchase fun yet affordable prescription glasses!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Minted: Unique (and Adorable) Journals & Planners!

I really love a great journal or planner. Before I was blogging, I was definitely writing in journals (see my post about it here), so it’s no wonder that anytime I’m in a bookstore, stationery shop, or even a large chain retail store like Target, I’ll usually stop by the paper goods section to see if there’s anything cute.

Imagine my excitement when I was introduced to Minted, an online stationery store that is also a design marketplace. They source fantastic creative content from a global community of independent artists and sell the best designs on paper goods, art and home decor. For instance, check out that lovely journal in the picture above called “A Little Paris” by artist Sharon Rowan. When you select your item, you can click on the link to get to know the artist, as well as see other items they have designed for Minted.

What I like the best about their journals and planners are the options provided. Even though I’ve selected a weekly planner, I can also order a matching journal, which all can be personalized through color selection and by adding your name or even uploading your personal pictures (depending on the type of cover selected)! Additionally, the options change, depending on what kind of product you want. I love stickers, so it’s great that once you choose the planner option, the stickers then become available.

There are so many products to choose from, including personalized name labels that are waterproof, dishwasher safe and non-toxic, which is perfect for when Dominic goes to school. Since school starts in about a month for him, I’m definitely going to have a great time browsing through the site and seeing all the great products for the both of us at Minted!

(Also, if you like what you see as far as journals and planners, here’s a direct link to their collection: http://www.minted.com/journals)

FTC Disclosure: I received credit as a courtesy to enjoy the site, but not as compensation for this post. Although I did receive credit, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Nail Art: Stamp Collecting

I made my first attempt at serious nail stamping. I’ve actually acquired several nail stamping discs over the last couple of years, played with the discs a bit, but that was the extent of it. Recently, I received some really cute nail stamping discs from Born Pretty with British and French travel themes, so I wanted to try them out.

I really just jumped right in without thinking about placement, or knowing any kind of technique, which is why they look like a bad photocopy! Since my first attempt was not what I had hoped, I went on You Tube and found several tutorials and new techniques to try out, which actually made the stamp art look like nail wraps. I guess this means I’ll need better stampers to make this work. I’ll definitely post pictures of my new and improved nail stamping art!

Also, I tried another fantastic product from Kiss, which I got for a steal at CVS with a coupon. I really like the Kiss 100 Tips Curve Overlap nail tips because they are easy to cut & file to the size and shape that I want. The glue provided is very strong, and I’m currently using the Real Life Brush On nail kit by Broadway nails to smooth out the nail tip. But soon, I’ll move to Kiss’ acrylic fill kit for a more even surface (all the products I mentioned are available at BeJour.com).

Just a reminder: if you like the Born Pretty nail stamps you see here, or if you are going to make a purchase from their site, Born Pretty has given Any Second Now readers a 10% discount by using CGG10 at check out. Cheers!

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

(Kiss 100 Tips Curve Overlap picture courtesy of BeJour)

Review: My First Corset!

The only times I’ve ever worn a corset was when I was in Shakespearean plays in high school and the costume called for it, or underneath my wedding dress. I have not yet worn a corset as a fashion piece that I could incorporate into my wardrobe, although I’ve always wanted to! So when I was contacted by the folks at CorsetDeal.com to try one out for myself, I thought it was a great opportunity to style one, and to understand the whole “waist-training” movement. I’m not sure that I will actually go that route, but I do love the way a corset looks, especially since I’m quite attracted to the gothic and steampunk looks of shows like Penny Dreadful.

I’ll be sure to post how I styled the awesome corset and boots I received from CorsetDeal.com. But if you are interested in learning more about waist training, check out the article they provided below. Cheers!

“Celebrities Who Wear Corsets

Have you ever considered sporting a corset to achieve a slimmer shape, but weren’t quite sure whether corsets were officially back in style? If so, wonder no longer. The waist-training movement, made possible with comfortable, steel-boned overbust and underbust corsets, is moving forward full-steam ahead. Not only are women around the world just like you leveraging the power of the waist training corset to achieve longer-lasting results, but celebrities are, too!

Which celebs have been spotted embracing the waist training corset?

Kim Kardashian

Kim has been an unabashed advocate of the waist-training corset, as her Instagram account will attest! Kim frequently wears underbust waist training corsets both atop and underneath ensembles to give her figure that extra advantage. By all accounts, it seems to be working!

Jessica Alba

Few would guess just by looking at Jessica Alba that this actress is actually a mother of two. Her slim physique and tapered waist gives nothing away, thanks in part to the help of waist training corsets. Corsets are not only helping women accentuate the figure they already have, but are helping them regain core toning that can be lost after pregnancy.

Lily James

Lily James, star of the 2015 movie Cinderella, also achieved her incredibly small waist with the assistance of a corset. The actress noted in an interview that while her waist is naturally small, it was only with a corset that she was able to create that now infamous tapered waist while in Cinderella’s ball gown.

Beyoncé

Even the reigning Queen of, well, Everything is rumored to get a little help from shapewear like waist training corsets. Beyoncé has frequently worn costumes that involve corsets while performing on stage, but it’s believed that she also is a fan of the corset offstage, too. Like Kim, if her Instagram photos are any indication, the corsets are doing their job!

Emma Watson

Yes, even Emma Watson has been spotted in a corset. While Emma’s corset ensemble appears to be more of a fashion choice than an attempt to train her waist, she still raises an important fact: corsets are fashionable! Thus, even if waist-training isn’t on your list of priorities, the corset is still worth considering for its fashion potential.

Ready to experience a waist training corset for yourself? Follow us to shop for corsets and learn more about their benefits!”

FTC Disclosure: I received product and was asked to review the product in return. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this:

Remix this: