San Fran Snapshots

Since it’s Friday and most of our brains are fried, I thought I’d share some pictures form my recent trip to San Francisco. I had such a fantastic time! The trip was the best of all worlds – I was able to work during the week, enjoy the city at night with local friends and family and spent the weekend living like a local in North Beach, courtesy of Airbnb.

On Thursday, I walked along the Embarcadero for a few miles taking in the gorgeous views of the water! I took a million shots of this little tugboat, but thought it best to share just one. 🙂

I went on a run Saturday morning and came across this personable pup, which I affectionately named Rasta-dog.

I continued my run on a trail that lined the waterfront, up a staggering hill through Fort Mason which had some stunning views! Here is one of Alcatraz.

After our run, we went over to the Mission, chowed down on some Mexican food and yummy margaritas, strolled over to Dolores Park and hit up a beer garden, Zeitgeist. All very fun, very local experiences!

On Saturday afternoon, we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito, a small waterfront town just on the other side of the Bay from San Francisco. The picturesque community was bustling with people dining at restaurants, perusing shops and art galleries and enjoying the breathtaking views. Sausalito was one of my favorite parts of the trip despite the fact that we were only there for an hour or two. I would have loved to have stayed longer!

A view looking out on to Angel Island, an undeveloped National Park in between Marin and San Francisco. You can take a Ferry from San Francisco or Tiburon and spend the day hiking the island. This was in the plans originally, but we decided to spend the day around San Francisco instead.

Some pretty flowers at the waters edge…

And I couldn’t talk about San Francisco without a picture of a trolley car! I took this at Union Square earlier in the week. I didn’t get too much time at Union Square but goodness, would I have liked to have spent an entire day there. Union Square has enough shopping options that even the most hard-to-please shopper would be laden with bags within the hour. Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Zara, Gap, J.Crew, BCBG, H&M (2 stores within a 4 block radius!), Lous Vuitton, Bloomingdale’s, Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Barneys, Sephora, Tiffany & Co. – oh the list is endless! I was heaven, but due to my hour time constraint, my bank account was relatively safe.

All in all, it was an awesome trip and I think I’ll be heading back regularly! I did so much more than I captured here. We bounced around so many different parts of the city that I couldn’t possibly name them all.

 
 

Feeling Good, Looking Good and Doing Good: Team in Training!

Bikini season is on top of us like the hot fudge on that sundae we should probably put down right about now. Assorted quarter life crises are leading to us ponder life questions that should be reserved for Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love. We constantly remind ourselves that we need to “give back” but we just keep giving to our shoe collection…

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m making these statements without an inkling of judgement. These are facts of life. Often, I get so caught up in the day-to-day that I fail to realize a week, a month and then a year have passed, all without my doing anything significant. Setting goals and reaching them is challenging, that is why life coaches, personal trainers and therapists are in business.

However, now is as good of a time as any to take up a new hobby, set yourself up to reach a new goal or cross an item off of your bucket list and I can recommend an excellent place to start your journey – Team in Training (TNT).

TNT is a national organization with local chapters that helps people reach their goals of completing an endurance event (read: Marathons, half-marathons, cycling and triathlons) while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) to fight blood cancers. TNT provides participants with training resources for sponsored endurance events and, in turn, participants commit to a raise a specified fundraising goal. The fundraising goal can be between $500 – $3,000, depending on the event, and the TNT staff assists participants with fundraising, making it even less intimidating to reach your goal. To break it down, it is a change to feel good, look good and do good, in one fell swoop!

Feeling Good + Looking Good

The thought of a marathon or a triathlon might strike fear into the hearts of anyone, but TNT is committed to help you train appropriately, safely and sanely for an event. You don’t have to have any prior experience and the programs are designed for all levels of fitness acumen. The regimented training will whip you right into shape and the steady stream of endorphins will keep a smile on your face.  The added bonus? You’ll meet tons of people, some just like you and others who are radically different, but all who are working together for a common goal, supporting one another and having a good time. You’ll have an entire team to rely on every Saturday morning and I would wager a bet that you’ll walk away with at least one new friend.

If you think a marathon should be reserved for that crazy Greek guy, then try for a 10 miler or a half! You don’t know what you are capable of until you try, I promise you! If you had asked me a few years ago if I would ever run one, I would have laughed in your face, loudly and obnoxiously. Yet, here I am currently training for my third marathon with Team in Training. I even managed to convince one of my best friends to do it too.

Doing Good

TNT-ers reasons for participating might all be different, but the single best part about Team in Training is knowing the impact you are making on the lives of those who are suffering. Each week, you will hear stories from cancer patients, survivors and their family members. Sometimes the stories have happy endings and sometimes they don’t. I’ve shed a tear more than once and I’m sure I will again this season, but I can wake up every day with the confidence that I am doing what I can to help people survive. That is sure to make anyone feel pretty darn good.

And, if you are still doing some soul searching and life questioning, consider this:

Understanding that you have the power to save another life is all you really need to find the meaning in your own. 

Yours truly post Marathon in my Team in Training Gear! See, I’m still alive, and smiling!

If you’re still hesitant, I recommend attending one of their information meetings. The National Capital Chapter is hosting meetings for the Winter Season all over the DC Metro area. There is sure to be one that fits your schedule:

  • Wednesday, Aug. 15, 6:30 p.m. @ Hyattsville Library: 6530 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville, MD
  • Thursday, Aug. 16, 7:00 p.m. @ Potomac River Running: 115 Gibbs Street, Rockville, MD
  • Saturday, Aug. 18, 10:00 a.m. @ Marriott Wardman Park: 2660 Woodley Road, Washington D.C.
  • Tuesday, Aug. 21, 7:00 p.m. @ Potomac River Running: 20630 Ashburn Road, Ashburn, VA
  • Wednesday, Aug. 22, 7:30 p.m. @ Marymount University, Lee Center: 2807 North Glebe Road, Honors Classroom, Arlington, VA
  • Thursday, Aug. 23, 7:00 p.m. @ Chevy Chase Running Company: 4461 Willard Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD
  • Saturday, Aug. 25, 10:00 a.m. @ Hyatt Regency: 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD
  • Tuesday, Aug. 28, 7:00 p.m. @ Road Runner Sports: 1120 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA
  • Wednesday, Aug. 29, 7:00 p.m. @ Fleet Feet: 255 Kentlands Boulevard, Gaithersburg, MD
  • Thursday, Aug. 30, 7:00 p.m. @ Residence Inn Old Town: 1456 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA
  • Wednesday, Sept. 5, 7:00 p.m. @ Woolly Mammoth Theater Company: 641 D Street NW, D.C.
  • Thursday, Sept. 6, 7:00 p.m. @ Marymount University, Lee Center: 2807 North Glebe Road, Honors Classroom, Arlington, VA
  • Saturday, Sept. 11, 10:00 a.m. @ Silver Spring Courtyard Marriott: 8506 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD
 
 

All About the Eyes

My love for eye makeup is no secret. However, I wasn’t born with my affinity for a good shadow, liner and mascara. I remember the first time I wore eyeshadow. I smeared on so many layers of that light, slightly sparkly beige Clinique shadow my mom had received as part of a Bonus gift, that you could almost see it. I snuck into her makeup bag and stole every complimentary eyeshadow she scored until I could finally purchase my own. I didn’t discover the power of eyeliner until my senior year of highschool and with one stroke, I was hooked. MAC, Clinique, Maybelline, black, brown, blue – I had it all. Too much of it all, in fact.

So, it is no surprise that I have dabbled in my fair share of shadows. I’ve used various brands and had favorites depending on the look I was going for at the time. Choosing eyeshadows can be hard. Sometimes colors can be deceiving or the texture isn’t quite right. Before you know it, you’ll have acquired enough shadows to open up your own makeup counter – and you might have to in order to cover the cost!

A great way to introduce fun, new colors to your makeup routine is to consider purchasing an eyeshadow palette from one of your favorite brands. A palette is a case with multiple shadows, usually 6 or more, in varying colors to provide you with a range of basic colors and a few bold shades to play around with. You can expect to spend $40-$50 on a high quality palette, but it will last for an extended period of time since there are more colors to choose from.

It is important to play around with the different shades to make sure you like – and will use – at least 75% of them. Make sure you are satisfied with the texture of the colors and how they look when they are applied on skin. If you have a favorite makeup brand, check out their website or Sephora to see if they offer a palette. Here are some of the best bets I’ve seen:

Too Faced The Return of Sexy Eyeshadow Palette – $48
This palette groups colors into sets to make it fool proof to achieve several different looks.

Tarte Femme Naturale Eyeshadow Palette – $44.
I own this and love it. I’ve worked nearly every color into a look at one time or another and the more neutral shades are perfect.

LORAC Pro Palette – $42
LORAC liners and shadows are exceptional quality and the 16 colors are all wearable.

Urban Decay Naked2 Eye Shadow Palette – $50.
This palette is so popular it sold out twice! You might want to get it now while you still can…

Do you have a favorite eyeshadow palette, color or brand?