#cupcakesandnailpolishapproved

My Grammy Awards Beauty Picks

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

Tonight is a big night…Grammys…and The Walking Dead is BACK. Like most Bostonians, I’m sitting here as the snow continues to sprinkle down and isn’t anticipated to stop until late tomorrow. This means – tonight is a great night for red wine and eating snacks in bed.

As I watch the celebs walk the red carpet, I couldn’t help but think of a few GRAMMY AWARDS BEAUTY PICKS of my own. Admittedly, I’m a glass of wine (or so) deep and feeling compelled to share this while the topic is HOT. Below are a few red carpet worthy beauty items that can work on or off the red carpet.

  • This light diffusing powder palette. A trio of 3 powders that aim to be applied after make up application to finish, soften, and diffuse light. I tried this palette last night at Sephora and instantly fell in love with the way it helped smooth out my skin and brighten my look. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette / $58 
This palette by Hourglass will help you use light to your advantage! (and minimize the shine)

This palette by Hourglass will help you use light to your advantage! (and minimize the shine)

  • A luxurious way to apply liquid or powder foundation. This brush. It’s so soft. It has 2 tiers of super soft bristles. It pairs well with the above Hourglass palette. It makes for a super smooth finish regardless if you use liquid or power foundation. Worth the splurge. Something worth investing in = good make up brushes.  Make Up For Ever 122 Blending Brush / $48
This Make Up For Ever brush…is where it's it. Soft bristle that help you blend to perfection.

This Make Up For Ever brush…is where it’s it. Soft bristle that help you blend to perfection.

  • A smooth and long-staying eyeliner. Regardless if your eyes tear from the wind or if you’re crying because you won your first Grammy, this eyeliner DOES IT. It comes in over TWENTY colors. I’m a fan of “dark chocolate brown.” This liner has staying power but can be buffed after application to create a more subtle line. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes / $19
This Make Up For Ever eyeliner will give you drama but not run down ya face. It can be smudged for a less defined look.

This Make Up For Ever eyeliner will give you drama but not run down ya face. It can be smudged for a less defined look.

  • A gloss with color and moisture. Face it, a pop of color (or 5) is perfect for the Grammys. It’s also great during the dull winter months. They call this a “tinted oil.” It does go on slicker (not sticky!) because it has jojoba oil as a main ingredient. I love how soft it feels and how the color slowly develops. I like “Pink About Me 8.” Oh and the tube packaging is GORGEOUS. So pretty and dying to be carried around daily. The applicator is a little pair of lips…adorable. Yves Saint Laurent Volupte Tinted-In-Oil / $32 
this this this YSL lip OIL. Try it. It's amazing. A pop of color and guaranteed conditioned lips.

this this this YSL lip OIL. Try it. It’s amazing. A pop of color and guaranteed conditioned lips.

  • A dramatic, volumizing (yet not drying) mascara. No one wants crusty lashes. No on wants running mascara. In comes THIS mascara by YSL. Makes lashes fuller and softer. I got a sample of this from Sephora and used it religiously. Such a great mascara. Lashes really do look “baby doll-like” after application. Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Volume Effet Faux  Cils Babydoll / $30 
Eyelashes like a Babydoll by YSL. This sh*t is no joke

Eyelashes like a Babydoll by YSL. This sh*t is no joke

And for those of us on the couch (or lounging in bed) below are 2 of my Sunday favorites:

  • This silky smooth robe. I literally wear it around the house and fall asleep in it. Yes, it’s floor length which might scream “old lady” to some – BUT the material is so buttery soft and the fit is flattering. Grab it in black and you’ll feel sexay and comfy. Natori ‘Shangri-La’ Robe / $98
Hugh Huffna be jealous if you wear this robe. It's screams "queen of da house"

Hugh Huffna be jealous if you wear this robe. It’s screams “queen of da house”

  • This divine hair masque to smooth out locks. While watching these great shows – why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone? After shampooing, comb through a dollop of this amazing hair masque. Leave for 10 mins and wash out. Not only does it smell AMAZING (the signature, addictive, Oribe scent) but it will leave your hair super soft and detangled. Do it. Trust me. Oribe Signature Moisture Masque / $59 
Smooth your hair. Watch TV and condition that do' with Oribe's signature masque

Smooth your hair. Watch TV and condition that do’ with Oribe’s signature masque

What are YOUR favorite Grammy Awards beauty looks? 

CC&NP Restaurant review: Steel & Rye, Milton, MA.

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment

My pants would tend to agree that I should probably take a break from the dining-out circuit, at least for this week. That aside, my husband and I have been lucky enough to try some really tasty restaurants lately. Our meal this past Saturday night was certainly worth sharing a review on!

The Scene:

We decided to try Steel & Rye in Lowers Mills Milton, MA (link below to website). A few different people had suggested this place for dinner – not sure why it took us so long to try! We live in Dorchester and are always looking for nearby yet outside of the city dining options.

According to my Dad, this place used to be an old ambulance bay. You can tell by the high/industrial ceilings that it used to be something along those lines.

As we drove up I noticed the hanging lights on the outdoor patio and the glass windows that allow you to see into the perfectly lit space. I was surprised to see how big it is. Also, pleasantly surprised to see that they offer complementary valet parking. In the city, we’re used to $20+ valet parking not including tip.

The place was definitely hopping. But, we had made a last minute reservation through Opentable.com and were seated immediately. We got a booth which made me very happy because I always prefer booth seating to regular chair seating (so much cozier!). They have a lot of different seating options – tables, booths, bar-front…I didn’t even get to see the entire place because it’s that big.

Right off the bat I was impressed by the décor – I guess I’d call it industrial ciche.  We were right next to a window with this funky, old school light fixture above our table …it was the perfect lighting in my opinion. The ambiance was upscale yet laidback.

There she is - the funky light above our table, each table had its own

There she is – the funky light above our table, each table had its own

The tables were nicely set, picture perfect!

Lovely set table at Steel & Rye

Lovely set table at Steel & Rye

Service was spot on from the very beginning. Throughout our meal – we were checked on regularly by multiple people. Our water was refreshed, plates cleared quickly – all in all, they had the service down to a science.

Now, the food & drinks…

DRINKS:

  • I started with a glass of cabernet sauvignon the “2012 Joel Gott, 815 Cab Sav, Cali” ($11). I am definitely not a wine connoisseur, but it was delightful – super smooth. I would have ordered two but I decided not to run up a $22 tab on wine alone (maybe another night!)
  • Nick, my husband opted for the: “Pimm’s #95 Cup” cocktail which consists of: pimm’s, house cucumber vodka, lemon, mint, tiki bitters, ginger ale. I don’t recall the price but someplace between $10-$12. It was definitely worth it – such a refreshing drink which looked almost too perfect to drink
Pimm's 95 Cup cocktail @ S&R

Pimm’s 95 Cup cocktail @ S&R

  • Nick’s second drink, which he had with dessert, was the: “Cold Bruiser” cocktail which consists of: privateer silver reserve rum, fazenda cold-brew coffee, cacao, walnut, ginger. Also somewhere between $10-$12. This was definitely a unique drink – an oversized ice cube filled the round whiskey glass. If you like coffee, you might love this drink – you can definitely taste both the coffee and rum. At first I wasn’t sure how much I liked it but it went down really smooth and the ice cube kept it nice and cold

FOOD:

  • For an appetizer we did the fried green olives ($5) and the grilled bread ($7). Two ‘snacks’ that sounded quite simple but were presented really nicely and tasted super fresh. Just the right amount to eat without ruining your main course!
Fried olives all in a row

Fried olives all in a row

The grilled bread - so much more than the simple name leads you to believe!

The grilled bread – so much more than the simple name leads you to believe! There were 2 slices in the appetizer serving

  • In addition to this they served 2 complimentary slices of what looked like brown wheat bread…seemingly homemade. It had a sweet taste to it and was served with soft butter. I decided to skip because I knew it’d fill me up – my husband enjoyed the bread! Definitely a dense start to the dinner but tasty
  • For the main course, I had the sweet corn, leeks & morels homemade ravioli ($23). It was very delicious. You could tell the pasta was homemade. The corn was extra sweet which I enjoyed. I think there was 5 or 6 oversized raviolis so a good portion. I couldn’t finish it all…as usual, Nick had not problem polishing it off
Homemade raviolis - such a different collection of flavors

Homemade raviolis – such a different collection of flavors

  • Nick had the carne asada with flash fried shishito peppers, roasted onion, oregano mojo, cotija cheese, lime ($34). I really liked the presentation – it came out on an iron skillet. Nick said it was delicious…I was literally saved only a morsel. Which was fine because he likes his meat medium/rare which I prefer medium/well

Now for the final course of the night – side note…no, we were not “celebrating” anything which you may think by the seemingly large dinner we treated ourselves to. We just decided to go out on a whim…hey, it was Saturday, it was “treat yo’self” time for The Moores.

DESSERT

  • This is where I decided “yes, I need to write a review on this place” because they really nailed it home with dessert. We got the “Snickers in a Bowl” (I mean, need I say more?) which consists of peanut semifreddo, nougat, dulce de leche & praline ($11). It wasn’t easy to decide on that dessert, believe it or not. S&R has a great dessert menu that offers a lot of different flavors…I can’t wait to go back and try more. I always appreciate when a restaurant has a unique dessert menu vs. those typical you-know-they-were-frozen options like the brownie sundae and lava cake. It’s hard to put into words the tastiness of this “Snickers in a Bowl” dessert – but it was more than a store bought Snickers could ever deliver. Chocolately, creamy, chewy, hazelnutty, and just plain gorgeous to look at too
I will draem about you, "Snickers in a Bowl" dessert...you were amazing

I will dream about you, “Snickers in a Bowl” dessert…you were amazing

All in all, we definitely recommend this place for drinks/apps/dinner/dessert. Be it for a weeknight treat or to celebrate a special occasion. The bill was a bit higher than we anticipated for a dinner outside of the city but between the quality of the service, setting, drinks, and food (oh and not having to deal with traffic, hoards of people, or expensive parking in the city) it was worth the splurge. If you’re looking for lighter fare and a more reasonable bill hit up the bar area for “snacks” and cocktails, perfecto!

If you live in/around the South Shore or Boston area, check it out!

Click here for link to Steel & Rye website.

A random post about hand cream…and a long lunch hour

/ BethonBeauty / Leave a comment
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I’m loving roses lately…this is a funky pic I took of a rose on Valentines Day – artsy, right? 😉

Today…wait for it…I got a lunch hr…a legit lunch break for the first time in a long time. I.got.to.leave.the.building. WOW! (welcome to the life & times of an ad agency, folks).

I decided to really live it up so I spent my time at the Neimans beauty counter…where else would I spend it? Seriously. For me, it’s therapeutic to walk around the store…testing, examining, and smelling all the products. I rarely feel pressured to buy anything but often walk away with a lipgloss…my one serious beauty “vice.” I have pouches, drawers, and purses full of em…but whatever, they’re typically less than $20 so I go for it. There are worse things, right?!

Anyways, today was especially nice because it’s been awhile since I’ve walked the Neimans beauty/fragrance section. They have some unique brands to discover. I came across a (new to me) brand called Aerin. Aerin was started by Aerin Lauder, the granddaughter of the fabulous Estee Lauder. If you look Aerin up on Wikipedia – the first line is: “American billionaire and business woman.” Dang. I was intrigued by her beauty line…according to the Dailymail.com:

  • Aerin was launched in 2011, first as a beauty collection and then later branching out to offer home furnishings, decor, and accessories. 
  • The lifestyle label is said to have been established with the hope of encroaching on some of Tory Burch’s polished, feminine-ware-seeking clientele. If offers the same look, with a more understated, sophisticated feel. 
  • Aerin (Lauder) has been a longtime staple in the society pages of Vogue. She is so closely tied to the magazine that Anna Wintour helped provide guidance on her namesake label’s launch.
  • The company’s products are sold at premium retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, and Neiman Marcus. Many of its items are priced in the high-end range – like $950 jewelry boxes and $10,000 bookshelves. 
  • Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2509465/Estee-Lauders-heiresses-Aerin-Jane-officially-declared-billionaires.html#ixzz2v1kpF5YN 

So, I’m pretty sure I won’t be buying any of her furniture any time soon – but today, one of the products in her beauty line really grabbed me. Lately, I’ve been all about ROSE…the subtle smell…from rose lip balm to candles, I’m just loving it. Aerin makes a hand & body cream that has a nice subtle rose scent. Not overpowering. I put a little on my hands at the store and loved the texture…sunk right in, moisturized well, with no greasy after-feel. Although the tube goes for $40 (yowza), I pictured it on my desk at work. I pictured using it during the day and enjoying the nice rosey scent. And I’m always a fan of the tube because you can get every last drop out…and it’s travel friendly and more hygienic.

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Aerin rose hand & body cream…find it at Neimans or Nordstrom

So, cutting to the case, did I buy it? Actually, no. Maybe another day. But I wanted to share THE FIND. It’s a lovely product. I also think it’s a good idea to keep a hand cream at your desk, especially during the winter when hands can get really rough and dry. No, you don’t need to spend $40 on a tube of hand lotion, that’s for sure. But, if you’re looking for a nice tube…may I suggest the Rose Hand and Body Cream by Aerin…I don’t think it’d disappoint. My hope is…if I ever do get my hands on a tube…I’ll use it at my desk…and it’ll evoke daydreams of hour long lunches @ Neimans…and hanging out with billionaire business women who have unlimited access to beauty products and the halls of Vogue.