We’ve all done it. You’re in a store and all of a sudden you see these super cute sunnies. You grab them, try them on, turn to the mirror and.... they look awful. It’s not that the sunglasses aren’t cute; it’s just that they’re not the right shape for your face!

Most face shapes fall into one of the following categories: round, oval, heart-shaped, and square.

If you have a more square shaped face, try on sunglasses that have a more retro feel, such as cat’s eye glasses.

If your face is rounder, go with a pair of sunnies that has a stronger, more angled shape to help bring some more definition to your face. Though people with oval or circular faces are lucky enough to look good in essentially any type of shape, as long as the size of the lenses corresponds to the size of their faces.

In the middle of all the basic face-shapes is the heart-shaped face. If you fall into this category, the bigger your sunglasses, the better. A larger angled lens will fit perfectly into your face’s proportions. The next time you’re looking for sunglasses, try on some aviators first.

XOXO,

Rebecca

When it comes to my face, I have to admit I’m a bit of a Francophone.  French women seem to just be in the know when it comes to the deep wisdom and new concepts in skincare.  From Joelle Ciocco’s Epidermologue Method® to Biotherm, they just know what they are doing.  So when even expat Garance Dore wrote that her dermatologist banned cleansing with water from her regimen, I needed to investigate.  The idea is that when you use hard water and strong cleansers on your face, you are messing with the sebum levels necessary to keep your skin protected.  Sebum acts as nature’s all in one facial serum by providing antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin E, protection from dryness and the outside elements etc.  Conversely, too much sebum is to blame for your acne.  When you wash away your sebum and disturb its equilibrium, it goes into overdrive producing new sebum to restore your face’s protective layer.  Even the National Institutes of Health have gotten on the sebum equilibrium bandwagon. 

 So when cold(er) weather arrived in LA this month and my skin began to resemble a shedding corn snake more than a glowing baby’s butt, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  Enter cleansing milks and oils.  It turns out there is a bevy of oils and milks meant for cleansing your face without water.  I chose to begin this experiment with KorresCleansing Milk.                                                                                                    

If youre looking for some moisture intensive care without a heap of cost for these windy dry cold days I say go no water.  Trust me, your skin will GLOW.

Save money and Splurge on taste!

Those red cups, you know the ones I’m talking about. This year I saw them before Halloween, but it means the holiday drinks have arrived. They are oh so good but for those of us on a budget, those cups of ambrosia can add up (especially if you crave more than one a day). Now it is important to treat yourself and meeting for coffee is so much cheaper than meeting for dinner. However, making your own will allow you to save you money AND enjoy these drinks all year around. You can also tweak the ingredients to match your preferences, dietary requirements, and mood!

So a friend recently told us how he makes his own Peppermint Mocha.

 Just take espresso, peppermint white chocolate, mocha carnation creamer, Peppermint Extract- one cap, fat free cool whip and Andes mint morsels to make your own version of a Starbuck favorite. Great idea!

If you need a more precise recipe we found this one at the MomAdvice website:

Homemade Peppermint Mocha

Ingredients:                                                                

1 cup milk, steamed
1 cup very strong coffee (4 tablespoons coffee grounds to 1 cup of hot water, I prepared this in my French Press, but you can brew a strong drip pot if you prefer)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
2-3 tablespoons peppermint syrup (you can use my recipe below or ask behind the counter at Starbucks for a prepared bottle that you can use all winter long)
Whipped cream (optional)
Chocolate Syrup (optional)
Crushed Peppermints (optional)

Directions:

Prepare your hot water in a kettle. Add four tablespoons of your favorite coffee grounds to your French Press. Pour 1 cup of hot water over them and allow the coffee to steep for four minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a pot, heat up one cup of milk until it is steaming. Froth the milk with a wire whisk or an immersion blender until it is nice and foamy.

In your coffee cup, mix together the prepared coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, and peppermint coffee syrup until the sugar and cocoa powder are dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour the milk foam over the top of the coffee/mocha mixture and stir to incorporate. Top with whipped cream, a generous drizzle of chocolate syrup, and crushed peppermints.

You can make an ICED VERSION with coffee ice cubes rather than ice coffee. Some people add ice but this is a much easier way. When you have extra coffee pour it in an ice cube tray and freeze. This way you can make a quick and easy Iced Latte without watering down the drink.   To make an Iced Peppermint Mocha:

6 coffee ice cubes 
4 tablespoons sugar (or to taste ) 
A chocolate syrup  (as much as you want)
1 tablespoon peppermint syrup  (Starbucks or Torani)
1 cup milk

Place all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. This will yield one huge mocha or two smaller mochas

Pumpkin Spice Latte

                                                               

Makes 1 to 2 servings

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin OR 1 teaspoon Torani Pumpkin Spice Syrup  
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus more to garnish
1 to 2 shots espresso, about 1/4 cup of espresso or 1/2 cup of strong brewed coffee
Whipped cream, to garnish

In a saucepan whisk together milk, pumpkin and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring, until steaming. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and spice, transfer to a blender and process for 15 seconds until foamy. If you don't have a blender, don't worry about it — just whisk the mixture really well with a wire whisk.

Pour into a large mug or two mugs. Add the espresso on top.

Top with whipped cream, if desired, and sprinkle pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon on top.

Salted Caramel Mocha Latte

Ingredients:

1 cup milk, steamed
1 cup very strong coffee (4 tablespoons coffee grounds to 1 cup of hot water, prepared in a French         Press)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons caramel coffee syrup (I bought mine at our local superstore in the coffee aisle or you can pick them up at your wholesale club for cheap. I accidentally bought sugar-free and it worked like a charm. Feel free to use either variety and adjust to your taste)
Whipped cream
Caramel Sauce

1/8 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Directions:

Prepare your hot water in a kettle. Add four tablespoons of your favorite coffee grounds to your French Press. Pour 1 cup of hot water over them and allow the coffee to steep for four minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a pot, heat up one cup of milk until it is steaming. Froth the milk with a wire whisk or an immersion blender until it is nice and foamy.

In your coffee cup, mix together the prepared coffee, cocoa powder, sugar, and caramel coffee syrup until the sugar and cocoa powder are dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour the milk foam over the top of the coffee/mocha mixture and stir to incorporate. Top with whipped cream, a generous drizzle of caramel sauce, and your pinch of salt.

Bask in your ability to make all good things at home.

Red Velvet Hot Cocoa with CREAM CHEESE 

Frosting was found on the Food Beast website. They used it for valentine’s day but it would be amazing as a wintertime treat. Could you imagine inviting a friend over around Christmas time for those delicious creations?

Have a better version? A different holiday drink? A  helpful hint? We would LOVE to hear from you!

XOXO, 

Mary Ann

Photo credit: http://www.alittleglassbox.com 

It’s  finally here, Thanksgiving week, so how about a little thanks giving?  I received an invite from a friend to do something called the “Thanksgiving Challenge.” I figured it would be a marathon like the Turkey Trot but it wasn’t.

She said “It is so easy to think of what or who we do NOT have…. But how much happier are we when we are content, when we are grateful for all the good we DO have?” and it made sense. 

So here is the challenge:  Write down 5 things you are thankful for each day this week and post it on Facebook! It can be anything - the great weather, your feet, that great song on the radio- anything! Also invite them to do the challenge with you.

I liked her idea but decided to do it with a twist. I have so many friends on Facebook I never see, speak with, or even go to their pages. So I am going to take a five friends each day and say why I am thankful for them.

This doesn’t have to be limited to Facebook. The idea is thankfulness so start a gratitude journal or write a letter. You can even have coffee with a friend but just keep reminding yourself to talk about what you are thankful for - what you have, not what you wish you had. Some families go around the table at Thanksgiving and talk about the reasons they are thankful. What if you did that every day?

So are you up for the challenge? Tell us what you’re thankful for in the comments below!

XOXO,

MARYANN

It’s that time of year again! The cold weather is here to stay and nothing is better for warming up than some homemade soup. Whether you make yours in a crockpot or all at once, soup is our favorite way to warm up. Yes, that’s right, even Californians get chilly sometimes! That’s why we wanted to share with you some of our favorite recipes that are both yummy and easy!

After a long day at work, Jessica Rey’s go to secret is her Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup courtesy of allrecipes.com 

Maryann can’t live without her Baked Potato Soup recipe, compliments of www.allrecipies.com. Try it out yourself and tell us what you think!

Rebecca relies on this Thai Chicken Coconut Soup recipe to defrost. Courtesy of  www.deliciousobsessions.com

Maria can’t resist any of Barefoot Contessa’s soups but especially her Sausage Lentil Soup. It’s hearty enough to be a whole meal!

What are your favorite soup recipes? Share them with us below!

XOXO,

Maria