A quick post to tell you all about a great offer to take advantage of over the weekend at Carlsbad Premium Outlets. Cheers and have a great weekend!
“ASICS will open a nearly 3,000 square-foot store between Banana Republic and Calvin Klein.
Committed to developing the most advanced athletic products in the world, ASICS will celebrate their grand opening with special offers. From July 23 to 26, shoppers who spend $50 will receive $10 off. If they spend $100, they will receive $25 off, and shoppers who spend $150 will receive $35 off.
ASICS is an acronym derived from the Latin phrase, Anima Sana In Corpore Sano – a sound mind in a sound body. The store specializes in athletic shoes, apparel and accessories.”
I tried something different than my normal nail care routine for artificial nails: I did it at home! I have these great nail wraps and stamp plates from Born Pretty that I would love to try without having to wait until my nails are the right length, or until I go into a salon just to get the acrylics. So I tried the Real Life Brush-On Gel Nail Kit by Broadway Nails, which I recently purchased from Target. They are very easy to use, but remember to re-apply the gel and activator once you file the nail seam to smooth out the nail tip. This will help strengthen your nails for whatever polish or wrap you want to apply.
The result? I think the pictures speak for themselves! In fact, it worked out so well that I purchased two more kits. So for the price of one salon visit, I get four complete nail changes. But really, how absolutely pretty are these nail wraps from Born Pretty (available here)? The pictures don’t nearly do these lovely wraps justice, and now I want to try all of the colors!
And remember, if you like the nail wraps 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.
I was recently asked by Wayfair.com to share a story on how I continue to #SaveTheSparkle with my wedding and engagement rings, especially now that it’s well after the nuptual events. I actually wear my rings daily and only take them off at home because of chores that involve water like laundry, washing dishes or bathing our son. If I do have to clean anything using abrasives, I’m wearing gloves. This keeps cleaning my rings to a minimum, and they shine just as brightly as they did when we first got engaged and then married.
But I think #SaveTheSparkle can also apply to how we keep the sparkle in our marriage alive, and we do it by taking the time to incorporate what we love to do individually, into something we can do together. For instance, the picture collage above is from this weekend, where we celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. My husband, Deon, had a golf tournament on our actual anniversary. So we had my mom watch our boy and had a mini-holiday to celebrate our anniversary a day early with a lovely dinner out at a restaurant in Irvine, close to the golf course where he would play the following day. This way, we still celebrated together, and he gets to do something he loves. While at his tournament, I took the time to roam around Irvine and Costa Mesa, found an awesome record shop and got in some shopping. I then had a quick dinner and read a book until it was time to pick up my tournament winning husband (see his winning result here)! We were so happy at the end of our weekend because no matter what, spent it together. We continue to do just that, turn events like his amateur golf tournaments (or golf playing in general) into full weekends, either alone as a couple or with our son. In fact, they’ve become fun adventures, and you can find a few of them right here on my blog (like here, here and here)!
How do YOU #SaveTheSparkle? Share your story in the comments below, or check out the hashtag to see how others are saving the sparkle!
Born Pretty has tons of great nail products, and I recently got to review quite a few new ones! I’m a big fan of good nail wraps because they’re so easy to apply and in most cases, you can have instant nail art in about an hour! These nail foil wraps based on Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” were so much fun, I wish my nails were a bit longer to capture the full effect!
I’ll be posting more reviews in the days to come as I try out more products, and I’ll even have my niece join in on the fun as well (she’ll be very excited)! If you like any of the products 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. Enjoy!
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.
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll already know where I was on June 27th. That’s right, I attended one of the most intimate Depeche Mode gigs ever in my life: Martin Gore’s DJ set at SOhO in Santa Barbara, which was a part of their fundraising show series!
If you read back to 2010 here on my blog, you’ll see that meeting Alan Wilder was probably one of the biggest highlights as a long time Depeche Mode fan because Alan was my favorite member while he was still with Depeche Mode (original post here). Regardless of whether or not he’s with the band, I still follow his career and meeting him was more than memorable. So seeing Martin Gore DJ in the intimate setting of a night club was the next best thing to meeting him because I was just a few feet away from him. Until then, the closest I’ve been to any current member of Depeche Mode was when I was 16, and I went with my sister and best friend at the time to the backstage entrance of the San Diego Sports Arena (now the Valley View Casino Center). We watched Depeche Mode board their bus during the Black Celebration tour (the actual picture from July 11,1986 is below, and you can see Alan Wilder approaching in the white shirt and black pants).
For this fateful trip to Santa Barbara, I went with my good friend Angi, who has attended several Depeche Mode concerts with me over the years. I believe we’ve seen the Singles Tour, the Exciter Tour and the most recent Delta Machine tour together, so it was fitting for us to take a girl’s weekend and see Martin. Once we settled into our hotel room and went out to dinner, we made the trek to SOhO and waited patiently in line, along with a night club full of true fans. Because we arrived so early and also because we are Visual Arts majors (that’s how we met in college), we started off the evening by taking random artsy pictures of the club’s interior.
The highlight, of course, was seeing Martin Gore. Martin didn’t just play random remixed club hits. His set was very eclectic, and really reminded me of Alan Wilder’s show for Recoil, without the visual effects presentation. I recognized a few songs off of his latest album and I couldn’t stop smiling for the entire show because it was just such a cool event.
I’ve captured the evening in a few pictures below, including a You Tube video of Martin’s entrance to his set, a Filpagram I posted on Instagram (with Brink as the backing song, from Martin’s recent album), and a little story of how I got an autographed flier (*squeal!*). Cheers and enjoy!
These awesome bamboo sticks were scattered throughout the club, with lights inside creating some visual interest.
The cool visuals continued outside with projections on the floor and wall of the patio.
From left to right: 1. A shot of the club as the crowd came in; 2. The DJ who played prior; 3. And the final set up for Martin’s set.
Presenting Mr. Martin Gore (along with another attempt at something more artsy)!A picture “with” Martin…sort of?
Backstory (because I always have one): I originally asked for a blank flier from a couple of people who worked at SOhO, just as a take home souvenir. When I asked one of the ladies that worked there for one, she said “Well, I don’t have any blank ones, but I have signed ones, would you like one?” YES, PLEASE! We took home three: one for me, one for Angi, and I sent one to David (@1doudou42 on Instagram), who’s post alerted me to the show, and I would never have gone had I not seen his post!
Shoppers can enjoy additional savings by showing off their Comic-Con Badge
(SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) July 7, 2015 — Las Americas Premium Outlets® is getting into the superhero spirit this week by offering special savings and discounts to guests and locals in town for pop-culture mega convention Comic-Con International.
From Wednesday, July 8, to Sunday, July 12, shoppers are encouraged to show their 2015 Comic-Con badge at the center’s Information Center to receive a special offer sheet, with additional discounts on top of center’s regular savings of 25 to 65 percent every day.
Convention-goers can check out super savings including 10 percent off services at Amerinails for last-minute mani-pedi needs to put the finishing touches on the perfect cosplay outfit, 20 percent off your entire purchase of the perfect Matrix-inspired shades at Sunglass Plus NYS, and more. Comic-Con attendees who stop by Timberland will not only get 20 percent off their entire purchase, but will also score a gift with purchase for flashing their Comic-Con badge, while supplies last.
About a 20-minute car ride from downtown, convention-goers can also take a break from the crowds and grab a bite to eat at the center’s food court.
For extra savings, shoppers can also stop by the Information Center to sign up for the VIP Shopper Club to receive a complimentary VIP Coupon Book, or sign up online at https://www.premiumoutlets.com/vip/.
Last month, I attended the media preview for the grand opening of Eyeglass World’s newest location in Vista. Not only are they the only national retailer of prescription smart glasses (with brands like Google Glass and Vuzix), but they also have plenty of smart looking glasses as well! I got to meet up with fellow San Diego Style Bloggers Nicholle of Top Knots and Pearls and Lilia of Curls & Fashion, and we were treated to snacks & champagne as we toured the lab, roamed the new store, and tested out several of the smart glasses. I took lots of pictures, so I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed the event. I’ll be back there to grab a new pair of glasses from their gigantic selection!
There were so many cute styles, but you know me, I love a great cat-eye frame!
The “Wearable Technology” section was impressive. They had a great selection to choose from!
Look at Lilia trying on smart glasses!
Nicholle and I grabbed a picture together before getting a tour of the lab.
Chris, the lab manager, shows us the thickness of a lens before it is ground down to the correct prescription and fitted into a frame. Then he showed us the machine where they test the strength of the lens. A small metal ball is dropped onto the lens through that long chamber!
Love my goodie bag, which includes my first ever pair of real Ray-Bans! Thank you Eyeglass World for such a great night!
Happy 4th of July weekend! I’m currently creating an extended post about my trip to Santa Barbara with my good friend, Angi, because it involves great company, great food and Martin Gore (there’s a bit of a preview in the collage below)! In the meantime, I got the chance to test drive a great hat from Cappelli Straworld called the Pack-A-Hat on the way back down from Santa Barbara, in Old Town Camarillo. We were at an outdoor café having brunch, so it was a perfect time to wear this multipurpose, portable hat. With the weather warming up significantly, I’m always looking for ways to minimize exposure to the sun while I’m out enjoying travelling with friends and family. The Pack-A-Hat is rated at a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50+ which gives me the confidence that I can get the appropriate protection. I also love the convenience of it folding into a cute little clutch that I can stow away in my tote bag!
Click the image above if you would like to purchase your own Pack-A-Hat!
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.
Earlier this week, I posted that I went to two events in one evening, and this was the best way to close that night! A couple of years ago on my birthday, I attended my first #PoshParty given by Poshmark (original post here). If you are unfamiliar with Poshmark, it is an app where you can buy and sell fashion: either find people you share similar styles with and shop their closets, or sell from your very own closet! A lot of my blogger friends are on Poshmark, and three of them hosted this year’s party at the W Hotel Rooftop West: Paulina of Lil Bits of Chic, Vanessa of Vanessa Balli and Esmirna of Platforms for Breakfast.
When I attended Poshmark’s first party in San Diego, I was still getting to know my fellow bloggers and the San Diego Style Bloggers network. Since then, I’ve befriended so many of them, two who I got to know better that night: Laura of Laura Neuzeth and Alessandra of Alessandra Gonzalez. We had to commemorate the event by taking pictures together at the Pixster Photo Booth (pictures from the whole evening can be viewed at http://pixsterphotobooth.smugmug.com/Parties/Posh-Party/). I included the picture from the first PoshParty in 2013 with this year’s picture. I have to say, that I love them both together because it shows how much we’ve grown as friends! Check out more pictures from the evening below, including few words from Poshmark’s Founder and CEO, Manish Chandra. Congratulations to Poshmark and I cannot wait until the next #PoshParty!
Founder and CEO Manish Chandra saying a few words of thanks to the hosts of the evening, to his staff and all of the Poshmark users.
A quick (and a little blurry) selfie wit Laura
I actually got to hang out with Sierra, Topshop stylist that night. She is such a sweetheart!
Not only did I hang out with one Topshop stylist, but TWO: Meet Alejandro, who works with Sierra!
I also met Mishael and her mom (who took the picture), who recognized me because she follows me on Instagram and is also a reader of this blog! It’s so awesome to meet the people who follow you because it make it all worth it! You can find her on Instagram as @_theshoo and check out her blog at The Shoo Girl!
It was also great to see Brandee J, Editor-in-Chief of Manik Magazine and Co-Host of Real Women Talk Show (photo courtesy of Bianca Vanessa)
At the beginning of June, I had a whirlwind night of TWO events in one evening! The first was the “Night of Beauty” grand opening of The Loft Hair Design & Skin Care in Carlsbad (first posted about here). This award winning salon was located in Escondido, but relocated and reopened in a 3,700 square foot space in the La Costa Town Square shopping center. The salon is large, spacious and beautifully decorated. They offer a very large variety of services including a full hair care salon, skin & body care, massage therapy, spa packages, facial treatments, peels and microdermabrasions.
The night was fun and extremely interactive, with experiences spread throughout the salon. From what I saw, there was a DJ, Braid & Brow Bars, Sensory Experiences (head, neck & shoulder massage or hot hand towel treatment), a massage chair, a “Tattoo” Station (decorative), wet bar, food, coffee and even shopping! It was also nice to know that 10% of the product sales and all of the raffle ticket sales benefitted Dress for Success San Diego. I’ve included lots of photos from the evening, and I was glad to get pictures of the beautiful salon prior to the public showing because it got crowded very quickly! Congratulations to Heather & Shawna on the grand re-opening of The Loft Hair Design & Skin Care at their new location in Carlsbad, cheers!
“We’ve loved being in Escondido, but we’re excited for our growth into this blossoming area of Carlsbad,” said Shawna Cruise, founder of The Loft Hair Design & Skin Care. “Guests will find that our team has remained the same and still offers the amazing care we’ve always prided ourselves on – just now in a new, larger space that we can’t wait to reveal.”
