Any Second Now

Weekend in Pictures: The 21st Annual Sicilian Festival

Hope you’re had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We had a lovely day filled with being with family, remembering my father and his service, ending with a fabulous barbecue dinner, courtesy of my hubby and his new grill. But a couple of weekends ago, Deon, Dominic and I attended the 21st Annual San Diego Sicilian Festival in Little Italy. It was another fantastic street fair, consisting of great food, entertainment, sites and tradition. We almost didn’t go because we weren’t aware of it, but my mom said she saw it on the news and thought it would be a fun event to attend. Dominic especially had fun because of the little kiddie area and bungee jump. It’s definitely something we would like to come back to again annually, but I’ll let the rest of the pictures really tell the story of what a great time we had!

Alfa Romeo anyone?

Had pizza & a sangria at Landini’s Pizzeria (our new favorite pizza joint in Little Italy), then Sfogliatelle from Busalacchi Restaurants. Yum!

Dominic catches some air!

Getting some last-minute goodies at Mona Lisa.

What's In Your Purse?

I’ve always wanted to do a post about what’s in my bag, so I was excited when the folks at Credit Card Insider approached me and a few other bloggers to join their “What’s In Your Purse?” campaign. It’s always a fun topic, and I decided to show a more “grab and go” version of what’s in my purse. I attended an event recently and I needed to carry something smaller than my tote bag because I was already carrying my vintage camera bag. I always carry a simple zip top clutch purse in my larger tote, so that I can throw all of my essentials in it and go. From my iPhone and going clockwise, here’s what I consider “The Essentials”. What’s in YOUR purse? Let me know in the comments below, and have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Jody A-Z Clutch
iPhone (disguised as a cassette tape)
Wallet (also disguised as an 80’s mixtape…sense a theme?)
Change purse (from London, of course)
Keys (Lego Chewbaca and Good Cop/Bad Cop are my son’s influence)
Business cards
Lip balm
Liquid eyeliner (by e.l.f.)
Eyebrow kit (which has a mirror, by e.l.f.)
Rollerball perfume (Couture La La by Juicy Couture)
Eyebrow pencil (Rimmel)
Lipstick (Arrest Me Copper! by Wet n Wild)
Face blotting paper (by e.l.f.)
Camera (Sony Cybershot)
Tissues (Pockets by Kleenex)
Pen (Fine tip Sharpie)
Portable charger (don’t leave home without it!)

This Is What I Do: Boy George in Concert

In the wake of Culture Club’s UK tour announcement (dates here), I’m finally posting my pictures from the Boy George concert my hubby and I attended last month. With Dominic in Las Vegas at the time, we were able to travel to LA for the concert, which was at The Belasco Theater, right next to The Mayan (Boy George had a concert there the following day). We were lucky we arrived early, not only because the line ended up going around the block, but because the police were in full force due to the Clippers game. In fact, we met a really nice cop while filling up at a gas station, who is a huge 80’s music and Depeche Mode fan, but regretfully didn’t know Boy George was playing that night. Later while in line, we met a lovely couple, with whom we ended up hanging out with for the duration of the evening.

Other than a near altercation between my husband and an overeager and inebriated concert goer during Church of the Poison Mind, the show was absolutely fantastic. Boy George sounded better than ever and his band was wonderful. Hats were the featured accessory, and my husband received recognition from Mr. George from the stage at the start of the concert, complimenting him on his choice of fedora for the evening. I read a lot of reviews to get a feel for what the show would be like. So I was not at all surprised to find that The Boy featured a fabulous mixture of songs from his new album This Is What I Do and crowd pleasing Culture Club songs. Comments from concert goers on different forums criticized the song choice, but I liked the mix of music: this was a Boy George concert, not a Culture Club concert. Although I would have loved to have heard Time (Clock of the Heart) live, I was nearly in tears to at least hear Victims. Deon’s favorite song was Karma Chameleon, and I really enjoyed Nice & Slow from the new album, and Everything I Own, although one obvious omission was The Crying Game. The full set list for The Mayan show can be found below, which was the same as The Belasco show, and I will add Nice & Slow live from the concert, as soon as it uploads. Oh yeah, another exciting part of the evening was hearing that Matt Goss was in the same building (I included a picture from Matt’s Twitter account). I’m so glad we made the trek to LA to see such an incredible show!

(Edited to add: Nice & Slow is now up! See the video below.)

That line went around the block!

The Boy himself!

Matt Goss with Boy George after the concert from his Twitter account *sigh*.

Edit this setlist | More Boy George setlists

The set list from The Mayan concert, which was pretty close to the show at The Belasco.

(Nice & Slow live!)

Winner of the Lavishy Necklace!

A winner has been selected for the scooter necklace from Lavishy: Please help me congratulate Karin! Karin has been notified by email and Lavishy will send out her lovely new necklace, congratulations Karin!

FTC Disclosure: The winner of a necklace was chosen at random using Rafflecopter. This post and the initial contest announcement post (seen here) were in partnership with Lavishy through Tomoson, and I received product.

Relax: Create A Day Spa at Home!

Don’t you love a spa day? I certainly do, but sometimes I don’t feel like venturing out to do it. Bellus Academy has provided fantastic tips for Any Second Now readers to replicate a wonderful spa in the comforts of home. I think I may try it this weekend!

At Home Summer Spa Day

Lights turned down, soothing music and a break from the real world is a must from time to time, especially when it’s hot out during the summer. But spending hours and money at an expensive day spa isn’t realistic sometimes. That’s where Bellus Academy’s Expert Team can help. They give their tips on how to create a spa day at home that will rival the real thing and get you out of the heat for a few hours.

Set the Mood. The relaxing atmosphere is what makes spas so great. Re-create the mood at home by dimming the lights or covering lamps with sheer scarves, lighting relaxing lavender or vanilla candles, sipping on cucumber or lemon infused ice water, wearing your comfiest pajamas or rob and turning off distracting electronics. Turn on soothing music, preferably without lyrics, and it will feel like you’re at the spa and not in your living room.

Hit the “Steam Room.” Emulate the steam room by taking a long, steamy shower. This will open up your pores and help detoxify the body. While in the shower, gently exfoliate your whole body, using a loofah for your body and a washcloth for your face. This will remove dead skin cells and give you a healthy glow.

Self Massage. After your “steam,” wrap up in a snuggly warm towel and get comfortable. Apply lotion all over your body and gently massage hands, soles of the feet, the small of your back, temples and other tense body parts. Use your thumbs and rubbing in small circles, to give yourself a relaxing massage.

Facial. Prepare for your at-home facial by placing a handful of lemongrass, mint, parsley, lavender flowers or rose petals in a teapot and pour boiling water. Wait five minutes to let herbs infuse, then fill a sink or glass bowl with this infusion and add more hot water.

Drape a towel over your head and lean about eight inches above steam for three to five minutes to unclog debris and oil. Rub on some cleanser, lean over steam again for a minute to release impurities and wipe off. Apply toner, exfoliate and cover face with a mask that best suits your needs.

Rest while mask is on, placing cotton pads or balls soaked in cold green tea over eye lids to tone and reduce puffiness. Finish by applying moisturizer to entire face.

Time to Relax. Read a book, mediate or just sit outside to unwind. Finish your at-home spa day by rubbing lotion all over body and feet. Before taking a nice long nap, put on some socks and wake up soft, refreshed and relaxed.

Bellus Academy has three of their campuses located in San Diego County with the newest campus in Manhattan, Kansas. They continue to elevate the beauty and spa industry through breakthrough education in Cosmetology, Esthetics, Make-up Artistry, Spa Nail Technician and Massage Therapy and innovative business practices. To learn more about Bellus Academy, please visit www.bellusacademy.edu.

(FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.)

Indulge at Fashion Valley: A Mother's Day Treat!

Last Thursday was my birthday, and after I spent a wonderful morning and afternoon with my family, I attended the Mother’s Day Indulge event at Fashion Valley. As I was heading to the event, I ran into Jennifer of Malcriada, which was another wonderful treat. Also in attendance was Lisa of Mona Lisa Marie, who was on hand to style some lucky attendees, and she is SO adorable pregnant. As I type this, I realize how apropos it was that we all were in attendance for this event, as we are three San Diego Style Blogger moms (and mom to be)! There were so many things to indulge in, from food to live music, to fashion and beauty. It was quite a lovely event, and it was most definitely a nice way to end my birthday, leading into a busy weekend. Hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day with your loved ones!

Live music provided by the band Liquid Blue.

Lots of yummy food samples from restaurants throughout Fashion Valley!

Fantastic fashion and beauty finds as well.

Jennifer got a nice little refresh from Hair Drezzers On Fire (love The Smiths reference).

How. Cute. Is. Lisa?!

Jennifer has some of the best tattoos, and what an adorable retro dress!

My outfit: Zara sweater, Madewell denim leggings, Miista Val Tex booties; Suki Bijoux necklace; Eva glasses c/o Bonlook

(Photo courtesy of Jennifer)

Love this gal!

All For Fun, Fun For All: Lavishy Necklace Giveaway!

Yesterday was my birthday, but I’m giving away something to one of YOU! Lavishy was kind enough to provide me with another scooter necklace to give away to one lucky Any Second Now reader (silver one in the outfit post here)! The contest starts today and ends May 17, 2014. To enter, just click the link below, then follow Any Second Now and Lavishy on Facebook. . Good luck to all!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE LAVISHY GIVEAWAY!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Fashion Valley News: A Stylish Treat For Mother's Day & The Arrival of TOPSHOP & TOPMAN to San Diego!

Hooray for fun happenings and awesome grand openings at Fashion Valley!

Firstly, Fashion Valley presents Indulge: A Stylish Treat for Mothers, presented by Diet Coke. It will take place tomorrow night (my birthday, May 8, 2014). I’ll be there, and I hope to see you there as well!

At Indulge, event attendees can do much more than just shop for spring style must-haves. Moms and their friends can experience fashion tips from Francesca’s, The Walking Company and Tous Jewelry, style consultations, beauty services from Carlton Hair Salon and Day Spa: Fashion Valley, gadget bar from Microsoft Store, delicious refreshments and drinks, plus special event giveaways from Harlequin® books and retailer offers throughout the mall. Additional Indulge offerings include:

Mini-Style Makeover Giveaway: During the first 30 minutes of the event, three lucky attendees will be selected to experience a free mini-fashion makeover. Lisa Moore of fashion blog Mona Lisa Marie and Style Setter for the center will surprise women at random with the chance to shop for a new look, receive expert style advice and reveal their new ensemble at the end of the event.

Mixology Stations: Mixologists will shake up appealing drink combinations for moms to sample and explain how to replicate recipes at home. Bacardi will be sampling their Grey Goose Le Melon Vodka brand.

Food Sampling: Moms can try samples from some of the area’s best restaurants and hear about the latest food trends. Moms can try lite bites from Stacked, appetizers fromCalifornia Pizza Kitchen, and healthy desserts from Pinkberry, as well as hear about the latest food trends.

Stylish Sounds: Local musical performers like Liquid Blue and a live DJ spinning tunes will transform the mall’s atmosphere into a chic, lively entertainment event venue.

Diet Coke Sampling:Enjoy a refreshing ice cold Diet Coke.

Chicest Mom Photo Op:Moms can walk the red carpet and strike a pose as they remember the night with a fun photo op and share their experience via social media (#indulgeatsimon).

Swag Bags: Swag bags containing retailer offers and discounts will be given to the first 200 shoppers who register at the event on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Many moms are long overdue for – and certainly deserve – a break to celebrate themselves and all they do,” said Jayne Stilson, Assistant Vice President of Business Development at Simon Property Group. “That’s why Simon Malls are hosting Indulge events just for them, where moms can shop, socialize and be recognized for the important role they play in our lives.”

Simon Malls’ Indulge events are free and open to women of all ages. For more information, visit shopfashionvalleymall.com. Follow Fashion Valley at www.facebook.com/FashionValleyMall, www.twitter.com/fashionvalleycaor www.instagram.com/fashionvalleyca/.

Secondly, I’m beyond excited to announce that TOPSHOP and TOPMAN are opening jointly at Fashion Valley this fall! Read all about it below!

TOPSHOP AND TOPMAN TO TOP OFF FASHION VALLEY

First-in-market TOPSHOP to Join Retail Scene at Fashion Valley

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May 5, 2014) – Get excited for the British invasion San Diego fashion connoisseurs! TOPSHOP and TOPMAN, the men’s version of the British fashion retailer, will be calling Simon Property Group’s (NYSE: SPG) Fashion Valley home this fall, with its first-in-market joint stores in San Diego.

Known as a major British fashion authority with more than 440 stores in 37 countries, TOPSHOP and TOPMAN are slated to open 17,500-square-foot adjoining stores on the lower level of Fashion Valley, near JCPenney.

“We are beyond thrilled to have TOPSHOP and TOPMAN call Fashion Valley their San Diego home,” said Chris Lane, director of marketing and business development at Fashion Valley. “The addition of this iconic retailer will up the fashion game in San Diego, even further establishing Fashion Valley as the premier retail and lifestyle center in this region.”

The retailer specializes in trend-driven fashion, which includes glamorous pieces for going out, footwear, accessories, an extensive selection of denim and jewelry, and TOPSHOP Make-Up. Founded in 1964, TOPSHOP is a pioneer of design collaboration with young talent and fashion icons.

TOPSHOP and supermodel Kate Moss recently launched their spring/summer 2014 collection, a range of pieces encapsulating the British fashion icon’s unique style. Key design categories for this collection include Balearic Dressing, Pyjama Dressing, Cocktail Hour and Tailoring Noir.

San Diego’s TOPSHOP is one of just four new store openings for the retailer in the U.S. by 2015. It’s also slated to open the second largest TOPSHOP and TOPMAN flagship store in the world at 40,000 square feet, on Fifth Avenue in New York this fall.

(Thank you Noelle from Curator PR for allowing me to share these exciting happenings at Fashion Valley! Photos 1 & 2 courtesy of Fashion Valley.)

(FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.)

Win A Chance at Free Glasses for Life from SelectSpecs.com!

The lovely folks at SelectSpecs.com wanted me to let you all know about a wonderful contest they’re having: Free Glasses for Life!

Check out the details and enter at the link below for a chance to win. Good luck!

http://www.selectspecs.com/competitions/free-glasses-for-life/

Fancy winning a free pair of prescription glasses, including standard lenses, coatings and free delivery for the next 50 years? Yes? We thought so.

It couldn’t be easier. Simply fill out the form (at the above link) and click the button that says “I want free glasses”.

Competition ends on Saturday 31 May at 11pm. We’ll be announcing the winner on Friday 6th June 2014, so keep your eyes peeled and check your email inbox to see if you’re the lucky winner!

We’re also giving five runners-up a free pair of prescription glasses (also including standard lenses, coatings and delivery) from our exclusive economy collection.

And if that’s not incentive enough – we’re emailing a 10% SelectSpecs.com discount code to everyone who enters the competition. No thanks necessary, we like to be generous like that.

Get yourself involved and don’t forget to tell your friends, family, neighbours and strangers on the street* about this fantastic competition. We’ve made it easy for you to share the competition with all your Facebook and Twitter buddies too – once you’ve entered the competition simply click the Facebook and Twitter icons.

*Please be aware of stranger danger. If in doubt walk away and get yourself to a nicely crowded public place. Cafe’s are a good choice, you can get a coffee and / or tea. Maybe even a biscuit. Go on, you deserve it.

For full terms and conditions please click here.

– From SelectSpecs.com

FTC Disclosure: I received product as compensation for this post. Although I did receive product, the opinions in this post are strictly my own.

Home Improvements

Hello and hope you had a great weekend! I feel like my blogging has been a bit sporadic, but I promise it’s with good reason: my hubby and I are remodeling our room! We aren’t doing any heavy reconstruction, but we are upgrading our room design and greatly improving the aesthetics. The idea really started with a spark of inspiration from all of the records I’ve been posting on Instagram (the “Record A Day” photo challenge). I wanted a new record player (post here), which then lead to wanting a “listening station”. While our boy was in Las Vegas all of last week, my husband and I went to work on the room. We are still working on sorting through all of our things, but two sections of the room are pretty much complete. Pictured above is our listening station (designed by my hubby), and we are still waiting for my Crosley Executive Portable USB Turntable from Wayfair to arrive (which it should as this posts). The picture below is the mural of Paris we bought from Ikea (you’ll notice a lot of our new furnishings are from Ikea, as they are practical and attractive). The little pictures at “The Chen Listening Station” and the mural are the places we went to on our honeymoon. I will be resuming my normal blogging schedule soon, but I hope you all pardon the interruption!

Photo 1: Kallax shelving system, floor lamp, letter tray and pictures from Ikea; coffee cup clock from Bed Bath & Beyond; table lamp from Walmart; all records are from our personal collection (the ones on the wall are from my husband’s collection)