Kolamity

Photo

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:11:37 -0700

My “Heirloom Extravaganza” dinner salad! 50/50...

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:05:22 -0700

My “Heirloom Extravaganza” dinner salad!

50/50 spring mix & spinach blend
heirloom carrots, assorted colors (the best tasting was the red with yellow center)
a small yellow heirloom tomato
bacon!
half an avocado
sliced button mushrooms
all the pepper. ALL OF IT
tiny spritz of Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing

It was delicious and a good alternative meal, as my chicken still hasn’t defrosted yet. XD

revoltagainsttime: Andreas Achenbach Clearing Up - Coasts of...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:05:06 -0700

revoltagainsttime:

Andreas Achenbach

Clearing Up - Coasts of Sicily (1847)

This is absolutely stunning! I’m not familiar with the German Romanticism movement (the English cousin is among my favorite movements), but this piece has me curious to see just what the German movement has to offer :D Guess I have a new subject to study next month :D

Photo

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 04:51:21 -0800

Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Cologne Absolue: Top notes of Italian...

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:39:00 -0800

Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Cologne Absolue: Top notes of Italian bergamot sourced from Calabria, Sicily work in sync with Italian green mandarin to create an amber halo. The fragrance opens to middle notes of fresh jasmine and exotic cinnamon Ceylon from Sri Lanka, while base notes of African myrrh and Indian sandalwood provide an earthy counterpoint. Full-size, $190

A little bit of this cologne goes a long way— the myrrh is subtle, the jasmine bright, and the sandalwood grounds it together. There’s a note I can’t place— warm and round, very intriguing, but unlike anything in the details above. This is also a long wearing fragrance - I spilled some of this on my fingers, and now my keyboard carries the scent.

theBalm® cosmetics Hot Mama Shadow & Blush All-in-One: This illuminating powder is one of the most flattering blush, highlighter, and shadow combos we’ve ever come across. It combines subtle color with light-reflecting silica particles to give us the peachy keen complexions we’ve always wanted. Wear it on your cheeks, your lids, and wherever you want to add a dose of shimmery warmth. Full-size, $20

This has a subtle, rosy peach color that blends perfectly with my benefit foundation. I haven’t used it as an eye shadow— the shade wouldn’t work with my eye color— but I can see it working well on someone else. And as a blush, I have to say it photographs very well!

My™ Multi-Purpose Mattifying Moisturizer: This moisturizer has a lightweight, non-greasy feel and layers well under makeup. It gets its long-lasting hydrating power from patented anti-aging compounds, as well as pili and moringa oils, two potent natural ingredients. Full-size, $68

First of all, this is a GREAT moisturizer. Not only was it extremely hydrating, but it seemed to brighten my skin without adding any shine, always a concern with my aging skin. However smooth this left my skin, there isn’t SPF included, which is something I need in my day-to-day moisturizer. So the search continues, even if this satisfied 3/4 concerns.

Beauty Protector Protect & Detangle: We tend to gravitate toward products that have as many functions as Imelda Marcos has pairs of shoes. (Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration.) Beauty Protector’s leave-in mist is about as versatile as they come. It conditions, shields from heat and sun damage, and–of course–detangles, among other things. Plus, it’s 100% vegan and suitable for all hair types. Full-size, $21.95

Alright this was one of the winners of this month’s box— I love how soft & smooth this left my hair, even after blowdrying! I’ve been using Bumble & bumble’s prep product, but this one looks like a much better replacement, especially since I just hacked off a good 6 inches & am trying to protect my strands against damage.

Votivo Candle: To temporarily satisfy our wanderlust and keep our wallets happy, we light Votivo’s tropical-inspired scented candle. The colorful wax reminds us of a prized piece of coral, while the bubbly scent keeps our daydreams of exotic destinations afloat—even when we’re drowning in expense reports. Full-size, $26.00

I received the pink mimosa candle, which is as fragrant as advertised! I tend towards softer scented candles myself, so the tea candle sized sample was the perfect size. Definitely going to keep the sample size around— it is strong enough to mask bacon

Ghirardelli Milk & Caramel SQUARES: As Mary Kate and Ashley, Simon and Garfunkel, and Mickey and Minnie would probably attest, it takes two to make a thing go right. Enter our latest Birchbox find: Ghirardelli’s melt-in-your-mouth milk chocolate squares filled with velvety caramel. The individually-wrapped squares are perfect for snacking, and each is just under 75 calories. If you can be convinced to share, they make thoughtful treats for fellow chocolate-lovers. Full-size, $4.25

Delicious! This didn’t last two minutes in my house, oops.

Breakdown:

Total cost: $10
Estimated value for all 5 6 samples: $20.74
Satisfaction with the box: Although last month had a higher value for the samples, over all this one had a higher personal value. Although the moisturizer isn’t something I’d buy, I’m definitely going to use it on those days I need more hydration & am unlikely to go outside. And even the candle is going to have a use! However, I still haven’t received a lip product— get with the program, birchbox! 4 boxes, still no lip products!

(via 25 Romantic Fonts | a subtle revelry) Great now I’m...

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:09:45 -0800

(via 25 Romantic Fonts | a subtle revelry)

Great now I’m having feelings about fonts. XD

Late January Box review! Caudalie | Vinexpert Radiance Day...

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:44:00 -0800

Late January Box review!

Caudalie | Vinexpert Radiance Day Cream SPF 15: A lightweight day moisturizer with a patented grape-derived compound to reverse skin damage, plus weightless SPF. Full-size, $75

I’m always looking for a new day moisturizer, and this one satisfied 2 out of 4 concerns: lightweight with enough hydration that it improved the appearance of my skin. The price and bare minimum of SPF, however, are considerable drawbacks. Alternative recommendation: Murad’s Essential-C Day Moisture SPF 30, $60 @ Sephora

Eyeko | Skinny Liquid Eyeliner: This UK import features a user-friendly pen applicator and supersmooth formula. Full-size, $15

This sample was nearly full sized (.04 vs .07 oz) and came in a nice black color. My sample did not go on as smoothly as others reported— it might just have been an older applicator, but I was disappointed a liquid eyeliner would come out so clumpy. The liquid also irritated my sensitive eyes, which could have also been from an older sample. This was the product I was most excited to receive, and it was also the one I was the most disappointed it.

Juliette Has A Gun | Mad Madame: Turn heads with this provocative new scent. The green chypre blend fuses a metallic-tinged rose oxide with a hint of black currant. Full-size, $110-135

I have to admit, I wasn’t excited to receive yet another fragrance sample with musk. But Juliette Has A Gun was different— this was rock star sultry, provocative and heavy enough to last surprisingly long, but not so bold as to overpower your senses. The scent lingers well. And the packaging was darling— I loved the little envelope it came in, definitely made the scent seem special.

Number 4 | Clarifying Shampoo: Gentle enough for everyday use, this cleanser has a low-suds formula that removes buildup without stripping hair of essential oils. Full-size, $32

FINALLY Birchbox sent me a shampoo sample! I found Number 4 a great match for blow-out prep… provided you follow the directions and get the product into a VERY generous lather. However, after a few days of use, I noticed a dull buildup at my roots, so I can’t really recommend the product for everyday use.

Deborah Lippmann | the Stripper to go: These sweetly scented nail polish remover mitts make changing lacquer a breeze. Set of 6, $12

Yeah this was pretty much a case of “already have a million to-go nail polish remover pads, still haven’t used one outside my house.” While the mitt was a novel approach to removing nail polish and the package was just large enough to remove the polish neatly from my nails… I can’t see myself spending $12 on a product that isn’t that different from a Walgreen’s product. Definitely not the target customer for this product.

Breakdown:

Total cost: $10
Estimated value for all 5 samples: $26.67
Value for samples that worked for me: $14.99

Hoping for a lip product in my February box— still haven’t gotten one yet :/.

thesciencellama: 13 Must See Stargazing Events for 2013— Listed...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:12:00 -0800

thesciencellama:

13 Must See Stargazing Events for 2013
— Listed In Chronological Order

1) January 21 — Very Close Moon/Jupiter Conjunction

A waxing gibbous moon (78% illuminated) will pass within less than a degree to the south of Jupiter high in the evening sky. Your closed fist held out at arms length covers 10 degrees. These two wont get that close again until 2026.

2) February 2-23 — Best Evening View of Mercury

The planet Mercury will be far enough away from the glare of the Sun to be visible in the Western sky after sunset. It will be at its brightest on the 16th and dim quickly afterwards. On the 8th it will skim by the much dimmer planet Mars by about 0.4 degrees.

3) March 10-24 — Comet PANSTARRS at its best

First discovered in 2011, this comet should be coming back around for about 2 weeks. It will be visible low in the northwest sky after sunset. Here are some sources predicting what the comets may look like in the sky; 1, 2

4) April 25 — Partial Lunar Eclipse

A very minor, partial lunar eclipse (not visible in North America) where only about 2 percent of the moon’s diameter will be inside the dark shadow of the Earth.

5) May 9 — Annular Eclipse of the Sun (“Ring of Fire” Eclipse)

It will be visible in Northern Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea but mostly within the Pacific Ocean. See all the solar eclipse paths for 2001-2020 here.

6) May 24-30 — Dance of the Planets

Mercury, Venus and Jupiter will seemingly dance between each other in the twilight sky just after sunset as they will change their positions from one evening to the next. Venus will be the brightest of all, six times brighter than Jupiter.

7) June 23 — Biggest Full Moon of 2013

It will be the biggest full moon because the moon will be the closest to the Earth at this time making it a ‘supermoon’ and the tides will be affected as well creating exceptionally high and low tides for the next few days.

8) August 12 — Perseid Meteor Shower

One of the best and most reliable meteor showers of the year producing upwards of 90 meteors per hour provided the sky is dark. This year the moon won’t be in the way as much as it will set during the evening leaving the rest of the night dark. Here is a useful dark-sky finder tool.

9) October 18 — Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon

Visible mostly in Asia, Europe and Africa, at this time the 76% of the moon will be covered by the penumbral shadow of the Earth.

10) November 3 — Hybrid Eclipse of the Sun

A Hybrid Eclipse meaning, along its path, the eclipse will turn from Annular to Total and in this case most of the path will appear to be Total as there will be a slight ring of sunlight visible near the beginning of the track. This one will begin in the Atlantic (near the East Coast of the U.S.) and travel through Africa. See the path here. The greatest eclipse (with 100 seconds of totality) will appear in Liberia, near the West Coast of Africa.

11) Mid-November through December — Comet ISON

The second comet this year, ISON, could potentially be visible in broad daylight as it reaches its closest point to the Sun. It will reach that point on November 28 and it is close enough to the Sun to be categorized as a ‘Sungrazer’. Afterwards it will travel towards Earth (passing by within 40 million miles) a month later.

12) All of December — Dazzling Venus

The brightest planet of them all will shine a few hours after sundown in the Southwestern sky and for about 1.5 hours approaching New Years Eve. Around December 5th, a crescent moon will pass above the planet and the next night Venus will be at its brightest and wont be again until 2021.

13) December 13-14 — Geminid Meteor Shower

This is another great (if not the best) annual meteor shower. This year put on a show at about 120 meteors per hour and in 2013 it won’t be much different so expect another fantastic show. However, the moon - as it is a few days before full phase - will be in the way for most of the night obscuring some of the fainter meteors. You might have to stay up in the early morning hours (4am) to catch the all the meteors it has to offer. If you missed 2012’s Geminid Meteor Shower, here are some great photo-sets; 1, 2, 3

*The gif is of a total solar eclipse, from this video

This is going to be a good week for foods :D (not included:...

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 02:40:20 -0800

This is going to be a good week for foods :D

(not included: salads + veggies)

My egg looks like a manta ray :3 (Also oatbran pancakes are the...

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:01:00 -0800

My egg looks like a manta ray :3

(Also oatbran pancakes are the best, so addicted to the noms)

thedailywhat: Musical Interlude of the Day If you thought...

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:41:58 -0800

thedailywhat:

Musical Interlude of the Day

If you thought electronic music shows were just a guy standing quietly behind a laptop, then take a minute to admire M4SON1C’s Launchpad wizardry.

Wow, I really have no words for how awesome this is!

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Sun, 30 Dec 2012 17:32:31 -0800

Because of this decision, I am supervising cupcake making & eating none of them ___

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:56:23 -0800

For all my disapproval with the book itself, I’m going on the attack phase of the Dukan Diet tomorrow.

I’m not going in expecting a miracle or really using the Diet to drop weight quickly. I need to get more than my average of 15g of protein a day, and I feel I can adapt the Dukan Diet to accomplish that. While I like to call myself an omnivore, I tend to stay firmly in the fat/carb side of things, and have to push myself to get above 15g of protein. But my body LOVES protein. When I have enough protein, not only do I feel better, but I tend to have loads more energy to tackle things. And since I’m pretty active in my life, that makes barely making it to 15g of protein even worse.

I’m going to mix my protein sources up— tofu, soy products, meat substitutes, lean poultry, ham, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, and yes, I’m finally going to give fish a fighting chance.

So if nothing else comes of the attack phase, at least the inability to eat anything at the mall for six days will curb that nasty lunch habit. :3

dreamthemoment: A little piece of chocolatey heaven in a mug....

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:22:36 -0800

dreamthemoment:

A little piece of chocolatey heaven in a mug. The perfect thing to keep me company while catching up on episodes of Gossip Girl & 90210. Try adding a splash of vanilla and a little cinnamon, makes it even more delicious. xo

I just made this with ghirardelli cocoa— the texture is amazing for a brownie made in a microwave!! I might try this recipe again with frozen greek yogurt on top :3

Ug, bad theater manners dude spent the entire movie eating food he brought into the theater...

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:53:36 -0800

Ug, bad theater manners dude spent the entire movie eating food he brought into the theater (including cracking open a beer), then left his seat STREWN with garbage. Dude, if you aren’t going to support the theater staff’s paychecks with concessions, at least clean up your filth! No one wants to clean up your spilled yogurt and funky smelling beer!

The movie, thankfully, was brilliant! Will post a review on my feelings attack blog.

I’m the only person in the theater when a dude comes in and sits in front of me. I’m...

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 11:32:37 -0800

I’m the only person in the theater when a dude comes in and sits in front of me. I’m reading a book with headphones on, but the guy smacks his hand in the chair’s back, getting my attention. “So you like Hobbits?” He asks all swarmy like, pulling out a balognia sandwich. Because my headphones and book are clearly just a set up for conversation. “Nope.”

Dude stared at me, aghast at my lack of fucks to give.

Now he’s asking a trio of ladies if Tom Bombidil is showing up in this one.

Dude, sit down, no one is interested. Stop harshing my Hobbit squee!

from Bon Appétit Have to make these sage-scented shortbread...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:22:29 -0800

from Bon Appétit

Have to make these sage-scented shortbread cookies— I need more savory treats in my life *___*

Here’s what I received my second month of...

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:58:00 -0800

Here’s what I received my second month of Birchbox:

theBalm® cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer
amika Obliphica Nourishing Mask
Chuao Chocolatier Assorted ChocoPod (sourdough flavor, my least favorite ;___;)
Aerie Shimmer Fragrance
Lashem Measurable Difference Lash Gel Serum
Coupon for a $50 off a dress rental at renttherunway.com

I have no use for the fragrance or the lash serum and will be re-gifting those. I was thrilled to see a ChocoPod sample in my December box, only slightly disappointed in the sourdough flavor as it was my least favorite (I was excited by seeing the ChocoPod samples in the boxes last month that I went out and bought the variety box for myself XD). The December sample actually had more of a crunch to it, and totally satisfied my late night chocolate craving. Think I’m going to have to buy another batch of these before they go away!

The December box had 2 clear stand out products— the hair mask and 3-in-1 illuminator. The packaging on both are darling and fit the quirky nature of each product. With winter right around the corner, I’ve been searching for a good hair mask, and I like this one more than the sample I got at Sephora last week. And winter spells dull skin in the land of Kol, so getting a honey-toned product that can double as an illuminating eyeshadow was just pure Birchbox win.

Verdict: 2 months in and I’m still loving Birchbox! So far the only products I’m finding consistently useless are the fragrance samples— I have an ungodly amount of BPAL samples and work at a company that also gives out fragrance testers, so I have my perfume needs covered about fifty times over. But the fragrance samples do make fun little presents for friends, so they definitely aren’t a deal breaker! The best deal still is the full sized mascara I received last month— I rarely use mascara, but I’ve found myself using it several times since the November box arrived.

2013 is going to be legendary

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:16:46 -0800

Mom’s 60th birthday! May 19th marks her 30th year of MS, so this birthday is even more special. Go mom!
Southern Oregon trip, functioning as both a family visit & gathering research for a future writing project :3
Shipping my novel out into the wide world in March, an early 30th birthday present to myself :D
And yes, my 30th birthday in April, which I’ll potentially be celebrating in Maui with family if I can gather enough frequent flyer miles. Otherwise, fancy picnic at the San Jose Rose Garden (monocles and top hats!). Clearly I win either way ;)
Fanime in May, not sure if I’ll be attending. I will be visiting with friends in town for the convention regardless, since Fanime is practically in my backyard
Flying out in July for Readercon & Boston adventures with 2 of my best friends. Not surprisingly, March & July are my favorite two months for 2013 already :3
I’d love to sneak out to NYC in September to watch the Giants play a New York team near the end of the regular baseball season.
November marks my 12th Nanowrimo project (and hopefully 12th win :D)
And have you seen how many good movies & books are coming out in 2013?!

Insomnia you are NOT my friend!

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 07:26:37 -0800

So my sleep schedule has no idea what is going on!

Sunday: 3 hours of sleep (7am-11am)
Monday: 3 hours of sleep (9am-12pm), achieved only after level grinding on Glitch (game dies on the 9th)
Tuesday: 7pm - 4:50am! Fell asleep watching a baseball game off tivo
Wednesday: 12pm - 6:30pm! Fell asleep watching baseball Winter Meetings coverage
Thursday: I am still awake, & I work at 11am. This is not fun times, brain :/

Brain, please just turn off. I will even take a half hour of sleep at this point. What do you want, i will give you anything, just turn off already (T_____T)

Clearly the only solution— go lay on the couch in front of mlbTV and see if that puts me to sleep. BASEBALL! YOU ARE MY ONLY HOPE!

Kolamity

Photo

My “Heirloom Extravaganza” dinner salad! 50/50...

revoltagainsttime: Andreas Achenbach Clearing Up - Coasts of...

Photo

Atelier Cologne Ambre Nue Cologne Absolue: Top notes of Italian...

(via 25 Romantic Fonts | a subtle revelry) Great now I’m...

Late January Box review! Caudalie | Vinexpert Radiance Day...

thesciencellama: 13 Must See Stargazing Events for 2013— Listed...

This is going to be a good week for foods :D (not included:...

My egg looks like a manta ray :3 (Also oatbran pancakes are the...

thedailywhat: Musical Interlude of the Day If you thought...

Musical Interlude of the Day

Photo

Because of this decision, I am supervising cupcake making & eating none of them *___*

dreamthemoment: A little piece of chocolatey heaven in a mug....

Ug, bad theater manners dude spent the entire movie eating food he brought into the theater...

I’m the only person in the theater when a dude comes in and sits in front of me. I’m...

from Bon Appétit Have to make these sage-scented shortbread...

Here’s what I received my second month of...

2013 is going to be legendary

Insomnia you are NOT my friend!

Because of this decision, I am supervising cupcake making & eating none of them ___