Shade Balls (news with a name that sounds like an insult)

Balls awayyyy!!!

Have you heard about the "shade balls" in Los Angeles? Thanks to my daily issue of The Skimm (an easy-to-read, short news email perfect for staying on top of current events; you NEED it; subscribe HERE) I learned about the crazy invention being utilized to combat the ongoing California draught... Shade Balls (actual name):

According to the NY Times, the balls float on top of the city's reservoirs, help block sunlight and UV rays that promote algae growth and prevent evaporation, which drains the Los Angeles water supply of about 300 million gallons a year. And on top of all these practical uses, the California reservoirs now look like goth-themed ball pits that I desperately wanna jump in:

Brings new meaning to "Watching the Ball Drop."

By the truckload!

Looks like a theme park ride!

Whoa. That's a lotta balls. (hehe)

Amazingly, this sounds like one of those crazy ideas that's so simple, it just might work. It also sounds like an insult you'd hurl at a friend who was being super sketchy (e.g., "Dude, you're acting totally shade balls right now"). Regardless, best of luck from NYC to Cali with all your shade balls (pun intended).

1 Year Later

I am lucky.

One year ago today was the last day I worked as a lawyer at the only company I'd ever worked at. One year ago today I was terrified and exhilarated, standing at the precipice of a new career which would change my life in ways I wasn't even able to predict.

In the past year, I have experienced some unbelievable highs and some dark and scary lows. I gained a bunch of weight and shed a bunch of tears. I spent countless sleepless nights worrying that I was in over my head, that my relentless determination to succeed at work was letting down friends and family and that at any moment, I was going to fail. But you know what happened? I didn't fail. Sure, I made mistakes and I struggled with the lawlessness of working from home and I didn't accomplish all of my goals and so many other "didn'ts/couldn'ts/wish I'ds", but here I am... One year later... Alive... still in business... and as sure as ever that my decision to jump was the right one. 

I am still very much on an open-ended journey and I'd be lying if I said I was no longer afraid. I am. A low level of anxiety buzzes in the back of my mind with each new challenge or opportunity and I still worry daily that I'm somehow going to let down the many wonderful people who have entrusted me with their work... but I'm surviving. I might even be thriving. I'm leaning in as hard as I possibly can (read.the.book.NOW.) and I'm refusing to surrender even when I know new challenges lie ahead.

They say that everything gets easier with time and that no activity is as scary as the first time you try it. Here's hoping that that's true and that even if it isn't, I'll continue to have the courage to figure it out as I go!

If you buy one thing this week...

... buy this mayonnaise. 

It's chipotle flavored and it's amazeballs. It will change your life (or at least your turkey sandwich). 

And how awesome is Sir Kensington's packaging!?

Buy it on Amazon here (and btw, I think I like their ketchup more than Heinz!)

Hump Day Distractions

I hate being chased by worms.

Today has been bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S (ooooh Gwen and Gavin...) so without any lolligagging, here are your hump day distractions. Enjoy!

* Is it cold in here? (Not for men apparently!)

* I've been spending about $12-15 a week on iced coffees which kinda kills me. Anyone have first hand experience with THIS product? (Since I only drink iced coffee all year long, this could be a worthwhile investment, yes?)

* Minion on the loose!!!

* Curvy girls rejoice! The reign of the skinny jean has ended!!

* This updo is freaking adorable.

* I sure am going to miss you Jon Stewart.

* So apparently Lenny Kravitz split his pants over the weekend... and his dong fell right out for everyone to see. If, like me, you're kinda curious, click HERE (note: this link isn't graphic unless you "click to reveal" on the page. And to answer your question, yes I did.)

My Beauty Routine: Drugstore Edition

Make me up please.

I have a seriously basic daily makeup routine. Since I like a natural "look", my routine consists of about 5 products and takes about 5 minutes to apply (and in summer I do even less thanks to the natural color my love of the sun provides!) That said, my simple beauty routine is still important to me feeling confident each day (for better or worse) and I know I look best when I take a few minutes in the morning to put myself together. Which is why when I recently found myself without my makeup case for a week (and not wanting to plunk down $$$ for unnecessary duplicates of my favorite brand name products) I ventured to CVS to try to get my beauty routine essentials on a budget. And since I was super happy with the products I purchased, I thought I'd share!

Under-Eye Concealer: L'Oreal Paris Visible Lift CC Eye Concealer

I selected this product for a few reasons. First, it is meant to be applied by rolling it on and then blending it with your finger. No brush needed = score 1 point for team simple! I  also liked that I had just 3 color options: light, medium and dark. I went with medium and hoped for the best.

Review: I really like the light consistency of this product.  It doesn't look cakey or gather in the creases of my eye. The roll-on application is great because you don't have to worry about squirting too much out of the bottle (happens all the time with my usual MAC concealer). Though the all-day wear wasn't as good as my usual concealer, the lightness of this product was so great that it seemed like a fair trade.

Blush/Bronzer: L'Oreal Paris True Match Lumi Liquid Glow Illuminator

I have always been intrigued by creme/liquid blushes so I figured an inexpensive brand was the perfect way to try one out (plus, more points for no brushes required!!) I was once again attracted to the limited number of color tones to choose from (just 3) and how easy it would be to apply a light coating if I didn't love the tone I selected.

Review: I still love my Sun Bunny Natural Bronzer by Too Faced, but this product was a great alternative. Lumi has a slight shimmer which creates a beautiful summer glow and my skin didn't feel greasy to the touch once I rubbed it in (which was my fear when considering a liquid). I actually loved the product even more as the day went on and it became even more "natural" looking. My only criticism is that with Sun Bunny I use my brush to lightly dab color in places beyond just my cheekbones (neckline, blend with under eye concealer, etc) and with Lumi that isn't easily done (though I think this would be true of any liquid vs. powder).

Eyeliner: CoverGirl Ink It! (in black ink)

CoverGirl was my go-to eyeliner brand until Sis gifted me an amazing Urban Decay set of pencils which converted me to their products. This was the fastest "new product" selection  I made at CVS because I just grabbed one that looked like what I'd used before.

Review: I think I'm switching back! I LOVE not needing a sharpener (this product twists to "refill") and the thin tip of Ink It!'s pencil allows you to get a smooth, thin line every time, not just after a fresh sharpen. There's no more getting stabbed by the wood of the pencil when the point gets low (something that seemed to happen weekly with Urban Decay 24/7) and I think the longevity of each application is only marginally shorter with the drugstore brand (and since I apply the product in my eye on the lower lid, my expectations for longevity aren't high to begin with). Ringing up at $6 vs. $20, CoverGirl is the clear winner here.

Mascara: CoverGirl LashBlast Volume

If you do not use this product, throw away whatever you're using and go get yourself a tube of LashBlast RIGHT NOW. This was the easiest product from my standard arsenal to replace because it is part of my standard arsenal! CoverGirl's LashBlast Volume mascara applies without clumps and immediately makes your eyes pop wide open! The thin brush helps separate and elongate lashes so they look striking, but not overly done or fake. Ranging in price from about $5-8 depending on where you buy it, there's no deal in beauty better than this mascara. 

Light & Tasty

I'm like 99% on board with this quote.

This summer, after nearly a year of terrible eating and exercise habits, I've finally managed to re-commit myself to a healthier lifestyle. Through regular exercise (thank you ClassPass!) and cooking more meals at home (where I can control ingredients and portion sizes) I've finally gotten back on healthy habits bandwagon. 

Since it's easy to get bored with your go-to dinner options and variety is the spice of life, here are a 3 creative(ish), simple and new (to me) meals I've been preparing recently. They aren't exactly Julia Childs caliber and nearly all require something pre-made or packaged, but if I can make it fast and keep it healthy, in my opinion that's a meal worth sharing!

* Sausage, Sautéed Broccoli & Shirataki Noodles

If you aren't familiar with Tofu Shirataki noodles, it's time to get with the good stuff! This delicious pasta alternative comes in all sorts of shapes (angel hair, fettuccine, spaghetti...) and though they aren't going to be mistaken for that carb-tastic pasta we all love, it's an awesome and infinitely healthier substitute (a half bag is 10 calories, 0.5g fat and 3g carbs, aka ZERO Weight Watchers points so go ahead and enjoy a bag, or 2!) 

I like to prepare the noodles in a pan which I've lightly coated with Pam Olive Oil Cooking Spray. I add fresh garlic, salt and some crushed red pepper and heat them slowly. In another, larger pan, I heat up some sliced pre-cooked sausage (options I love HERE) along with broccoli, adding a little olive oil and seasoning as I steam the mixture with the lid on. At the end, I combine everything into the sausage/broccoli pan to really mix the flavors and then I serve with grated parmesan cheese. It's all the Italian flavors you love at a fraction of the hit to your waistline!

* Spaghetti Squash Boats - Mediterranean Style

I love preparing spaghetti squash all sorts of ways (our household favorite being with grilled chicken parm melted on top like THIS) but adding all that sauce and cheese can detract from the healthy effort. For another tasty and slightly healthier option, try sautéing shrimp using a pesto-powder mix and just a little water and olive oil (much lower in fat than traditional pesto) along with chopped onions, spinach and tomatoes. (While you're doing this on the stove, bake the halved spaghetti squash like THIS (note, I usually skip the water and just lay the squash flat on a baking tray covered in tin foil bc I'm lazy like that!)) Once the squash is done, shred the "spaghetti" and mix in some salt, pepper, garlic powder and maybe a little more of that pesto powder. Next, load your pesto shrimp/veggie mixture into the top of the squash and top with low fat feta. On a baking sheet cook the "boats" for another 10-15 minutes and then serve.

* Asian Veggie Patty Burgers with Corn on the Cob (and sweet potato slices)

This is a new favorite for when I need a meal real fast, but I don't want to indulge in takeout. These MorningStar Asian Veggie Patties are delicious and can be popped in the microwave while you're toasting your Light English Muffin (I dare you to claim you can tell the difference between the light and regular!) Delicious plain or with a little ketchup, my favorite is a dollop of sweet chili sauce on the "bun" (for those feeling adventurous and up for something with a bit of kick!) And since nothing says summer like fresh corn on the cob, grab an ear and pop it in the microwave (2 minutes per ear with a thin layer of husk left on to create a steamed effect).

Lastly, if I'm feeling very hungry (aka, always), I'll add a sweet potato to this meal. I like to prepare it by creating thin, circle slices which I swipe with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper (and maybe some cajun seasoning) and pop in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (depending on the thickness of your slices). Enjoy plain or dipped in some of that zesty sweet chili sauce! 

Have you heard about (aka, what I'm currently obsessed with...)

Listen up people!!

My level of absolute obsession with the two (completely unrelated) things I'm about to share deserved more than just a plain old "Have You Heard About". If you've been anywhere near me in the past month or two you've probably heard me talking about these obsessions (sorry, not sorry!) and that's because they're just straight up awesome. So what are these Merry Meri wonders you ask? Well, have you heard about...

* Adult Coloring Books

A masterpiece from my beloved Secret Garden coloring book.

In June, I walked into Barnes and Noble and was immediately drawn to a display table covered in complex, ethereal, beautifully illustrated coloring books. I simply had to have one and ever since I can't put the thing down! Armed with a fresh 50-color box of Crayola colored pencils, I'm a coloring machine, spending hours at a time lost in the tiny details of each beautiful page. I find the activity soothing and rewarding, requiring deep focus, but somehow not at all the kind of focus that feels like work.  And turns out I'm not alone, adult coloring books are currently 6 of the top 20 selling books on Amazon.com!! “I think it probably speaks to people’s enjoyment in doing this kind of relaxing hobby or distraction from everyday life,” Sarah Deaver, president of the American Art Therapy Association, says “It creates an object of focus, and it creates something that’s beautiful and that’s satisfying.” Amen to that!!! So get yourself an adult coloring book today and don't worry about staying inside the lines, the best thing about being an adult is that you get to make your own rules:)

* ClassPass

Gym memberships can be pricey in NYC and for me, committing to that cost would have meant cutting out favorite workouts like SoulCyle, YogaVida and small group training sessions in the park. Enter ClassPass. ClassPass allows you to pay 1 monthly fee (in NYC it's currently $100 but going up to $125 this fall) and membership includes access to literally 100s of fitness classes (including open gym time!) throughout any ClassPass city! You can take as many classes as you want, with up to 3 per month at the same studio and sign up is as easy as opening the app and seeing what's near you that's about to begin! Through ClassPass I've discovered a love for high intensity interval training at Kore, adventures in indoor "surfing" at SurfSet (super unique and cool) and fallen in love one stroke at a time with Row House. As someone who needs variety to stick with exercise, ClassPass has been PERFECT and there's never a time when I can't find something interesting to try. (The downside? My beloved SoulCycle is not a member of ClassPass. Thankfully Cyc has proven a worthy substitute). Considering what I was paying in individual studio fees before, I'm coming out way ahead with ClassPass and working out all the time. So what are you waiting for!? Sign up!!