August Favorites

I've never done one of these just general favorites posts before, but in the last few weeks I've found some new things that I love and I just wanted to let you know how amazing they are.

1) ME! Bath Madagascar Vanilla & Lavender  - For my birthday, my grandma took me to the Spa at Nordy's. The woman doing my nails put this lotion on my hands and I fell in love. I needed it in my life. I wanted to smell that smell every day. I'm usually not a huge fan of lavender, and I think vanilla reserves a special place in the kitchen, so the idea of combining them and wearing it around didn't really tickle my fancy... but actually smelling it. My mind was blown. The lavender is more subtle, cleaner and warmed by the vanilla which just tickles the senses and makes me want to smell my skin all day long.

2) Clif MOJO Sweet & Salty Peanut Butter Pretzel - Pregnancy does this funny thing to people (me). It makes your blood sugar kersplat on the floor and sometimes gives you fun headaches and sleepiness midday. To combat this, I bought a mondo variety pack of granola bars and a case of iced teas at Costco to keep at my desk at work. This particular bar surprised me. I'm not usually a fan of the peanut butter pretzel combination. It may be my ever changing pregnant taste buds, but these are my absolute favorite granola bars right now. The peanut butter chips are a sweet contrast to the chunks of pretzel. I thought these were going to be the bars I saved for last and had to force myself to eat, but they were gone so much faster than the other bars in the box.

3) OPI Bubble Bath - It's on my nails right now. Natural looking, but still perfectly opaque and sheer at the same time.

4) eos Summer Fruit Lip Balm - I'm only a little late to the party on this one. I've been using these bubs for a while, but this one is my favorite. It's the red one and it smells like fruit roll up. I'm a sucker for anything that smells or tastes like fruit roll ups.

5) búcha Grapefruit Sage - I didn't know what to think of drinking sage flavored kombucha, but its amazing. You need it in your life.

6) MAKE UP FOREVER Smoky Extravagant Mascara - I got this in a mini version as part of my birthday gift from Sephora. At first I just started to use it on top of my older mascara. Using old and then new gives the new something to grab onto and lashes get fuller and longer. I wasn't planning on loving it or buying it when I run out, but now I definitely am. This mascara blew my mind. I love my lashes when I use it.

7) BABYBEARSHOP Organic Cheeky Baby Butter - Another take away from my spa day with my Glamma. It's meant to be used on baby bottoms for diaper rash or anything like that, but I've been using it on my cuticles. My hands dry out so fast. I'm trying to heal them up. It's perfect for anything like that and you only need a tiny bit. I've barely made a tiny dent in this tub.

Do you have any new favorites? Care to share?

My Freedom From Tax Returns Fix

I'm on staycation this week. Have I mentioned that? I'm in town - living it up in luxury, spending time with people I love, doing things that make me happy... all. week. long.

I scheduled myself a Stitch Fix specifically to arrive the Monday after tax season - before I'd even planned this week. It would be my gift to myself -  a surprise box of joy to arrive on my doorstep the morning after we got back from spending Easter with my inlaws.

It actually ended up arriving on the Friday before Easter, which was lucky because I'd already checked the website and seen the written descriptions of what was coming. I was dying to see it and try it all on.

Yoga & Fitness Favorites

1. Zella Streamline Live-In Capri Leggings - They call these leggings "live in" and aptly so. I could actually live in them. I would wear them all the time. They have just the perfect amount of compression. They're so so flattering and soooooo comfortable. I have them in a million colors and lengths, and they go on sale all the time, so I am always stalking the Nordstrom website for when they do.

2. Nike Pro Racerback Compression Bra - I found this bra at Nordstrom rack in teal with grey polka dots, wore it once, and then went back to find it in more colors. Once my previous go-to sports bras (C9 from Target) started letting me down - so to speak - I needed a more supportive option. These bras stepped up to the plate, offering support without cutting into my back and sides making those ick rolls nobody likes.

3. Lululemon Run Times Tank - This was the top lululemon traded me to teach there a few weeks back. I love it oh-so-much, I am thinking about going and getting one in black too. As is the way with lulu, it's a little on the pricier side, but it's a really great top. It's simultaneously breathable and supportive - one of the few workout tops I don't need to wear a bra with. It's flattering and doesn't show when I'm sopping with sweat.

4. Yogitoes Yoga Towel - Yoga towels are amazing if you like taking classes that really heat up and you end up dripping sweat all over your mat. Yogitoes grip to your mat, so the towel's not sliding around all over the place. I only put out towels once I've worked up a sweat. I've found that if my hands and feet are dry, I will slip more with the towel than without.

That Time I Taught at Lululemon

A little while back I got a phone call from one of the girls at the studio where I teach. Lululemon was adding Monday night classes to their usual complimentary yoga schedule for the month of March, and would I be available and interested in teaching one...

Heck yes!

Since March is such a big month for races 'round these parts, every Monday night for the month of March (you still have a couple of chances to get out there if you're local), lululemon at the Calabasas Commons is hosting special runner-themed yoga classes in their store. They partnered up with Inner Power Yoga and some of the most incredible up-and-coming teachers from the studio are filling the space for the month.

Spotlight on lovethelittlethings

In the last few years, I have been so unbelievably lucky.  Not only have I had my heart and mind cracked open by studying and experiencing yoga, but I have met some of the most truly beautiful and inspirational people. I have made new friends at every turn and I feel so special and so honored to be able to call them that, my friends.

On the first day of yoga teacher training, I met one such beautiful soul named Becca. I should have known right away from her always perfectly cute and cozy yoga attire, that Becca would later design her own line of yoga-friendly clothing and jewelry called lovethelittlethings
So, last month, when she reached out to me and a few others from our yoga crew, I was delighted to check out her etsy shop and support her new venture.