Blendtec & Green Living

Green smoothies! DH and I are so excited to start a health regimen that includes veggie and fruit smoothies and juices. I already eat a ton of veggies but not so many fruits, and DH eats a ton of fruits but not a lot of veggies. This is a great way to ease into a healthier lifestyle and establish some positive eating habits.

After weeks of research on blenders, we narrowed it down to the Vitamix and the Blendtec. Both have rave reviews and in the end, it really just boiled down to cost. Costco was having a great deal on the Blendtec, so we hopped over on Sunday just before the sale ended and purchased the Blendtec Total Blender.

We also picked up different types of fruits (berries, pineapples, bananas) and a giant bag of spinach for our main greens. And right when we got home, we (well, more like he) made our first smoothie!

Ingredients:
Water
Ice
Silk
Banana
Berries (blue, rasp, black)
Spinach

It was light, it was yummy and maybe it was in my head but I felt instantly rejuvenated. At some point I'd love to do a full on detox for several days (3-10 days at first), but at this moment I'm just looking forward to replacing dinner and maybe breakfast too a few days a week with a green smoothie.

Zara's 2012 Semi-Annual Sale

I have to say, shopping online can be a little dangerous if you're not careful. I spent tons on Zara.com, on items I didn't really need (but looked so very need-worthy online). When I was in the store, I was too lazy to dig through the racks plus the dressing room lines were loooong, so I opted to shop online instead. Then, a few days after ordering, I saw that every.single.item I purchased had gone down in price. I would have jumped for joy, but Zara doesn't offer price adjustments. CS recommended that I return and re-buy everything...so I did. sigh. Here's my review of the items I purchased:

First up is the Short Yoke Trench coat. The fit was too boxy for my shape, and it was more of a light tan color than beige. Plus, the sleeve had a distinctive blood stain on it. Yup, you read that correctly. Grossed out, I practically threw it back in the box.

Next, Zara's tweed-esque blazers.

Review: Perforated pumps

In an effort to find Prada's Perforated sandal after seeing it on Cupcakes and Cashmere, I came across a surprisingly high number of knockoffs...or as eBay sellers love to say, "inspired by" sandals.

Prada

Review: Corso Como pumps

I've been eyeing the Corso Como Del Quilted pump for a few months now. I hadn't seen it in person, but it seemed to meet all of the criteria I was looking for in a work shoe: pump (check), in nude, tan or beige (check), with a practical heel height (3", check), in a classic style (quilted, Chanel-esque, check). I couldn't find it in stores, so I ordered it on Nordstrom.com twice, and both times they cancelled my order. It was driving me crazy - I just wanted to try the darned thing on! So when I saw that MyHabit had a Corso Como sale, I crossed my fingers and logged in, and sure enough, it was part of the sale! I quickly ordered the quilted pump and another patent pump in the same style and hoped I would love it.

The price was comparable to other retailers (the shoes are pretty much on sale everywhere now, if not sold out) and the fit was perfect. I now understood why people raved about Corso Como so much. The cushioning in their pumps is like a little soft cloud for your feet. But alas, it was not meant to be. The beige was more like a light olive and really unflattering next to my skin (light/pale). I sadly packed the shoes back in the box to be shipped back.

But wait - I bought another pair!

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale ended Sunday night. I browsed online during the pre/private sale for cardholders, then again after the sale went public, buying more and more each time. I always feel a little sad once a sale ends since the search/hunt is so much fun for me, but as always my bank account could use a break. I haven't received all of my purchases yet, but here's what I bought:

Review: Popsugar Must Have bag

I've heard about beauty subscription box services (like Birchbox and Glossybox) for awhile now, and as much as I love the thought of a surprise box of goodies coming to my door every month, I have sensitive skin, which means "testing" new beauty products every month is out of the question for me. So when Popsugar came out with their "Must Have Bag," consisting of items from beauty AND fashion, fitness and home decor, I decided to give it a try. Plus, each bag supposedly includes a variety of full-sized products worth over $150 for a $35/month subscription. I opted for the 3-month subscription, which brought down my monthly cost to about $31.67 + tax. Shipping is free.

I received my box a few days ago and this is what I found inside: