a music, life and style blog
Week 5 of the With Wildflowers Summer playlist additions and a review of the Portugal. The Man concert at the House of Blues last Thursday. Listen to the new songs and a couple clips from the concert!
Grilled peaches for a sweet a and savory treat. Grill them together and use them in my Grilled Peach and Marinated Tomato Salad with Burrata and for the easiest summer dessert!
I always have, and always will, love Free People. I used to keep their catalogs in middle school and post the editorials on my wall and when South Cost Plaza finally got a store I was so happy to see their goods in person. They have great original and exclusive finds and also carry great brands.
Their clothing has always been a staple in my wardrobe and part of my style and I find that year after year I can keep wearing things I have had for a long time and they look great and unique. I think most of their pieces are worth the value and it is my go-to place for finding a unique dress to wear to a friend’s wedding, or accessories I can’t find anywhere else.
That being said, their clothing is definitely on the pricey side so I love finding things on sale. They add stuff all the time and I was so excited to see this fun mixed up pattern dress and boho woven hat. I also snagged these retro Dr. Scholl’s- esque slides and loved them in red so much that I ordered them in tan just the other day. This look is on sale now so if you love it as much as I do, check it out!
The dress is super flirty with a backless style that looks like a low skirt and crop top from behind and it ties in the front.
The dress comes in two colors you can see here, and the shoes are available in red, tan and navy. Finish any outfit off with this hat or something similar. What are some of your favorite shops that never disappoint?
Almost Famous, The Sandlot, Harold and Maude, The Royal Tenenbaums and many more make it on my list of favorite movie soundtracks! Check out my favorite song and scenes from each film in this week’s 10 songs for the With Wildflowers Summer playlist.
Hibiscus bushes have been growing all over San Juan lately and I love it. I remember when I would only really see them growing around Hawaii every year that I visited, so it brings a tropical nostalgia to mind every time I drive by them. …
I like to keep my skincare routine really simple. I probably shouldn’t admit that I am pretty lazy when it comes to having a good routine with products and washing my face every night, but I am. I like a basic face wash, or Micellar water if I fell asleep on the couch and am too tired to pull my hair back and splash water all over my face and counter, a toner spray and some rosehip oil when my skin is dry.
If I am really ambitious, or had coffee that day and am awake past 9 pm, I’ll whip out my essence to dab on my face before using an antioxidant serum and some lotion before sealing it all in with oil.
It took me a while to learn to layer skin care products in order of thickness so that they can penetrate each layer and get to your skin. I like a serum that is randomly from Trader Joe’s, a mousturizer with Hyalauranic acid from the Sephora line and my Rhada organic cold pressed rosehip oil from Amazon, so none of my stuff is that fancy or pricey.
I say all this because I’m not someone who would pay a ton for products like the Peter Thomas Roth line, but when they had their sample sale I couldn’t hold back. You know this if you read about my shopping problem, but this is one of those sales that was actually way too good to pass up.
I’m talking $2-$5 samples that usually cost around $30 for just a travel sized amount of product. So I stocked up on about 20 goodies (for around $85) and was excited to see what I liked and might consider spending big bucks on in the future.
What I got:
Some of the products I got to share with my mom because I don’t need a lot of the intense wrinkle stuff quite yet, and the acne treating products I got for the stubborn pimple that pops up every now and then. So, the things I was most eager to try were the masks and some of the face washes/cleansers.
What I loved:
What wasn’t great:
I’ll start with my favorites. I washed my face with the Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel for a couple nights and liked how well it cleansed my face and that it wasn’t super drying. Then, when I switched to the Anti-Aging Buffing Beads I was in love with how smooth it made my face. The Un-Wrinkle Cream Cleanser was very soothing and moisturizing and kind of felt like washing my face with lotion and after I patted my face dry it felt like I already applied a moisturizer for the night.
I also really liked the three masks that I got. The Irish Moor Mud Mask was very thick and messy to put on, and also made me and Michael look too scary to add pictures. But, once we let it sit for the 10-15 minutes and managed to get it all off, I was so impressed with how soft both of our faces felt and that our skin looked really smooth the next morning like our pores had shrunk over night.
The rose and cucumber gels were kind of similar but I liked them both equally. The cucumber being really soothing after a hot day and the rose making my skin just feel very refreshed.
Like I said earlier, I don’t have a lot to treat in the wrinkle department— yet, so I don’t like to use retinol or intense products for a few more years. I do, however, wake up with a lot of wrinkles on my upper chest from sleeping on my side and squishing my chest together when I sleep. They usually take several hours to go away, so before I left for work yesterday I decided to smooth some of the Un-Wrinkle Turbo Serum on my chest and was really impressed that they seemed to lessen in a couple minutes and go away completely in the next hour. I don’t know if this is meant to work right away or this is a gradual product that helps change your skin, but it worked for my chest so I think this would be great for wrinkled faces.
The things I didn’t love reminded me of other products that cost a fraction of the price and are just as good, if not better. I put the Max Sheer All Day Defense lotion on for a couple days. The squeeze lid gives the perfect amount to cover your face, which is nice, but it smelled heavily of sunscreen and reminded me a lot of the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face sunscreen I have used it the past. It did blend well under my makeup but it didn’t feel that light and I definitely felt like I was wearing sunscreen. So, I wouldn’t get this again and would probably just stick with the Neutrogena since it seemed so similar to me.
The Mega-Rich Body Lotion was something I was looking forward to because I am always looking for a good quality lotion that won’t upset my sensitive skin. For being described as Mega-Rich I was expecting something thick like a body cream but it was surprisingly sheer and didn’t moisturize that well. It smelled really good, and really familiar. Then I looked in my cupboard and saw the Eucalyptus Tea Body Lotion from Bath and Body Works on my shelf. It smells almost identical but the Bath and Body Works lotion actually is actually super hydrating and long lasting.
The Mega-Rich line fell short with the shampoo and conditioner as well. I use different stuff a lot because I like to find something that make my hair soft and shiny without being too heavy on my curly/wavy hair. These were just okay so I wouldn’t try these again.
Lastly, the other product that was just kind of – meh, was the Irish Moor Mud Purifying Gel. It seemed pretty similar to the other cleansing gels without being as good so even though I loved the mask, the cleansing gel didn’t do too much for me.
I haven’t tried the wrinkle pads or the acne washes yet because unless my skin is breaking out I don’t like to use something like that because I find them to be pretty drying, but I’ll update after I do and once my mom gets back to me on the wrinkle care! The one night I put a thin layer of the Acne Clearing Gel on my forehead to treat a couple upcoming zits I didn’t notice any difference but it was worth trying for the $5.
I’m not sure when they have these sample sales but they have had two in the last 4 months, so keep an eye out if you want to do your own trial run or feel like splurging on my favorites!
Do you guys use Peter Thomas Roth? What are your favorite products?
I finally saw The Big Lebowski for the first time a few weeks ago, I know I am way late to the party. My brother and I were curled up on the couch at my mom’s house looking for something to watch and he suggested …
This macaroni salad is probably one of my favorite things to make for a big family bbq or potluck. It is inexpensive to throw together for a big group, easy to make as a huge batch, and has a couple servings of veggies too. It …
I love kimonos year round, but they are perfect for the summer. You can layer them over a short dress, wear them over jeans and a crop top, and they make the perfect cover up for the beach.
My favorite kimonos are ones with funky sleeves, like the traditional box sleeves on this one from Free People and the fanned out bell sleeves on the lace Jen’s Pirate Booty Mandala Kimono. When I saw the beautiful details, I had to order it even though it was over a month wait. They are on the third round of restocking this beauty now so if you are lucky enough to get your hands on it, do!
The wrap style kimonos and ones with buttons are even an outfit on their own and I love how beautiful the pattern is on this silk wrap dress style kimono from Zara. You can find links to shop at the end of the post.
Find them here:
I’ve been pretty into two piece sets lately. They are really easy to throw on and look like a thought out and put together outfit. Plus, you get three looks out of it. The two pieces together, the top with a cute skirt or pair …
Try this rustic take on an Italian classic. Roasted pine nuts, garlic and tomatoes bring a new depth of flavors to penne pesto. Served with a burrata caprese salad and shredded slow-cooker chicken.
There are few things more frustrating than hearing a song you love and not being able to find it later. You remember a few lyrics from when you heard it on the radio, or it comes on in a movie soundtrack and then it’s nowhere to be found. The lyrics you remember are more of a generic phrase that come up in 3,000 Google searches and you have to wait for the music universe to bring it back to you one day down the road. This happened to me a while ago and I pretty much gave up on ever hearing it again.
Almost two years ago I was seeing My Morning Jacket playing in San Diego. The Fruit Bats were opening for them and the only song of theirs I really knew was the “When U Love Somebody” one that had been making its rounds on the radio that summer. The more they played, the more I got into the rest of their music and then I heard it, the song that would drive me crazy for the next year and a half.
I whipped out my phone to record a bit of it, just enough so I’d be able to find it later and catch a few of the lyrics to look up. I put my phone away and didn’t think about it until long after the sound of Jim James’ voice in the headlining set stopped ringing in my ears.
The next day I pulled up the video and got all excited to find my song. I had a good chunk of some bluesy and twangy instrumentals followed by what me and some friends made out to be “and I wanted you but I knew” and “I was young” and some other generic phrases. I typed them all in followed by Fruit Bats on google and waited for a video to pop up and end the search. Instead, some YouTube videos of fruit bats in their natural habitat came up and nothing else. So, I went to iTunes and sampled each 20 second clip of their discography thinking I’d recognize it right away but I had no luck.
I sent it to my friends and boyfriend that were at the show and waited for someone to know it. Nope. I searched their set lists from previous shows and couldn’t find anything. We thought it might be a cover or something and that’s why it wasn’t coming up.
A few months went by and Michael said that he would probably be able to post it on Reddit and someone would know it. I nagged him to do this for months until we both forgot.
The next summer my brother got a family package for Spotify. I was a Grooveshark die hard and still mourning the loss of my favorite music site and didn’t think Spotify was what I was looking for to replace it. I was wrong. After ignoring sign up emails in my inbox for several months I finally gave in after listening to both of my brother’s playlists and liking that we could follow along with each other’s lives through our playlists again.
I signed up and started adding favorite artists to my page when Fruit Bats came up in my recommended artists section. Omg. What if they had the song?! I went to their page and pressed to play their collection and the first song that came on was it. I was scanning stuff for work and almost tripled over everything to get back to my computer screen and see what the song was called.
“HUMBUG MOUNTAIN SONG” I couldn’t believe it. It had been over a year and a half since my 52 second concert clip left me longing. I texted Michael and my friends in obnoxious caps letters saying to guess what I just found. Apparently I was the only one still trying to figure it out, so know one guessed but I had found it!!
I favorited the song and kicked myself for not adding Spotify that summer before.
After playing the song on repeat for a couple weeks, I almost wore it out but it’s a perfect sound for this week’s summer playlist addition.
Here’s another 10 songs to add to your summer playlist or you can check them out on the growing With Wildflowers Summer playlist on Spotify.
Has this happened to you before? Did you ever find the song? Let me know what it was!
My favorite makeup products for the summer and my steps for an everyday natural look.
Growing up I used to spend every fourth of July in Hawaii with my family. The first half of the day was all about Old Navy flag patterned bathing suits, lots of sunscreen and spending hours making the perfect sand creation for the sand castle contest at the beach club. My grandma would put together awesome goodie bags with glow sticks, funky accessories and noisy toys, just like the one she had for us this year.
Decked out in our patriotic gear my family would get ready for a buffet at the Mauna Kea and we’d watch the fireworks on the beach laying down on the sand. As I’ve gotten older, the 4th has shifted from a family centered holiday to celebrating with friends.
The last five summers I’ve shared this holiday with my boyfriend Michael, Though we’ve made it back to Hawaii for a Frost Family 4th, our new traditions are centered in Laguna Beach.
The weather was perfect without any residual June gloom in sight. The beach was packed, friends were laughing and drinks were flowing.
I found the perfect festive set to wear and was exited to celebrate America, and the wonderful life we enjoy here, with a day off work spent with close friends in the sunshine.
Michael and I love to host but it can definitely get a little overwhelming sometimes. This year we kept our menu simple. We focused on strong flavors that were easy to put together and didn’t take away from enjoying the day.
For something easy to drink besides beer, we made watermelon margaritas which are one of the fastest and tastiest drinks I’ve learned to make. The only things you need are a large watermelon, limes, tequila and a blender. All you have to do is scoop out the watermelon and blend it up, pour it over a glass of ice with your favorite tequila (or rum or vodka for that matter) and a finish it with a wedge of lime. If you want it to be sweeter, you can add a store bought Limeade to the mix and you’re good to go. Just be careful with how many of these you have at once! They are way too easy to drink because it’s like you’re eating a piece of fresh watermelon.
Once you make a blender full of the watermelon juice you can leave everything out for people to build their drink. I like to keep it right by the food so people remember to grab a bite when they get a refill.
My favorite snacks are chips and fresh veggies cut up with onion dip, guacamole and salsa. When I was little, it was always my job to mix up the Lipton pack of onion dip into the sour cream and I still take that role very seriously. It’s not a party without some ruffles and onion dip, if you ask me.
For a main meal we stuck with our favorite bbq staple, Jerk chicken. We marinated the chicken the day before and grilled it in the morning so we were able to leave in the slow cooker as we walked around and enjoyed the beach. When we were ready to eat, we served up some grilled asparagus, macaroni salad and rice. It was the perfect dinner to soak up all our margaritas. This meal was a hit and something to make for the rest of your summer bbq parties and beach days.
Once everyone was done with dinner we headed upstairs to play pool and wait for the fireworks. This year was our dog’s first 4th being so close to the beach where there are fireworks going off in every direction. We tried to make a plan to have him with us and keep him calm during the loud booms but ultimately he wanted to be back inside. Beety hid himself under the bed waiting for the show to be over while we watched in awe of the celebratory exhibit.
It was definitely a day well spent enjoying good company and remembering how blessed we are to live in such a remarkable country.
What are some of your 4th of July traditions? How did you celebrate this year?
When it comes to dressing up for the 4th of July I have a couple of things I always stick with; a red lip matching bikini top. This year I used Maybelline 24 hour Matte Ink, and like I said in my post about it, …
If you’re in Southern California looking for a little getaway, Caravan Outpost in Ojai might be the place for you. It’s a super cute, camping style, micro-resort where you stay in different themed airstreams, make s’mores by the fire, ride bikes around town and can …
I love to start a new playlist at the beginning of a season. Every summer since I was in high school I made a new one with songs to mark the feeling of that summer. When I hear the songs years later it brings me back to the time that I was listening to it on the beach, spending time in a new place, or being around different people. Here’s some of my favorites that bring me back to my favorite summer memories. I’ll add another 10 songs to check out every week and you can find my growing “With Wildflowers Summer” playlist on Spotify. (Username: Redenfrost)
What are your favorite summer songs?
