A + A's Plane Essentials

1. Purse/Backpack - I just bought this Henri Bendel backpack and I am absolutely in love! It's so amazing and you can change the straps to make it into a purse or anything you want! And it's black, it will basically go with anything!
2. Cell Phone - Who doesn't need their cell phone? It has a camera, games, social media, and contacts! Always stay connected y'all! Plus, you definitely need it if you want to check in with your loved ones!
3. Kindle/Book - I put down a kindle because I have one and it is super convenient and I absolutely love taking it on trips! I haven't picked a book for this trip but I'll update this list if I find anything!
4. Gum - Gum is the best way to keep your ears from popping, at least for me! But then again, gum is an every day essential for me!
5. Water - I don't know about you guys but when I ask for some water on the plane and they give it to me in a little cup I feel like it's just gonna spill everywhere! I'd rather buy my own bottle of water (at the airport since you can't bring it in) that way I can drink it when I please and not be scared of it spilling!
6. Notebook - I just think that you should carry a notebook everywhere! Inspiration can come out of the blue!
7. Makeup - I just like to have my makeup with me so I know it won't melt or spill or be thrown around! Having a cute little makeup bag to carry it all in is a major must!
8. Wallet - I love to keep everything in my wallet! My plane ticket, driver's license, and money! Something you definitely need to keep close to you at all times!
9. Lotion - I just like to have some lotion on my flight to help freshen up for when the flight is over! It's something that can make you feel so much better!
10. Music Player - YES, I know I'm probably like 1 of however many people to (still) have a zune! I love it! It's easy to download all of my music and I just buy the subscription so I can download all the music I want for my trip! It's super lightweight and easy to use! Plus, it helps beat the 2 hour boredom on the plane if your plane doesn't provide in-flight entertainment!

1. headphones - one of the most essential items you can take on any trip. Sometimes you need to zone out from the noise around you, watch your favorite TV shows, or be comforted by your favorite songs. 

2. iPad - this is my favorite item because it can hold just about everything you need to keep yourself occupied during a flight: books, movies, games, magazines, and the internet.  

3. good read - a great book can definitely transport you away from the noisy airplane. I suggest reading Where'd You Go Bernadette? A wonderful story about a mother-daughter relationship that takes you to Seattle and Antarctica!

4. sanitizer - we have all heard how dirty the airport and airplane can be, so carry some of this just in case! 

5. sweater - airplanes either make me super hot or super cold. Your favorite sweater solves that issue and works as a blanket or a pillow, too :)

6. socks - another way to stay a little more sanitary when having to take off your shoes in the airport or on the plane!

7. lip balm - this is more of an everyday necessity but especially on airplanes. Keeps your lips feeling fresh when dealing with changes in weather from travel!

8. travel wallet - perfect for holding all of your important items: plane ticket, passport, and more!

9. gum - solve all of the ear popping problems!!

10. backpack - the best place to put all of your essentials: an easy to carry backpack that is cute and functional!

Rainy Day Movies! (Part Deux)

Hello Everyone!

If you guys live in Texas, particularly around Houston, you will know that we have a bunch of rain ahead of us! Just in case your plans get rained on (haha!), I've created another rainy day movie list! I hope you guys enjoy and take advantage of the rainy weather! If you're in a place where you don't have rain, enjoy this movie list!

1. The New Release // The Grand Budapest Hotel

2. The Netflix Movie // Frances Ha

3. The "Oldie but a Goodie" // Ferris Bueller's Day Off

4. The Movie on HBO/Showtime/Cinemax // Silver Linings Playbook

5. The Tearjerker // A Walk To Remember

I hope that if your plans got cancelled (or if you're staying in) that this movie list provides you with hours of laughter, tears, and entertainment! 

Have a wonderful Tuesday! :)

MOTO Monday X

Hello!

Yet another Monday has sprung upon us fast! We hope your weekend was great and here is some lovely inspiration for the week :)

1. to move // Sexy Arms // super easy and fun workouts to get rid of the flab!

2. to eat // Grilled Wedge Salad // Pure deliciousness. Definitely making this ASAP!

3. to do // Read // need a good book? Here are plenty! Reading is a great way to spend some time in the summer!

4. to wear // kimono // I've been looking for one for a while but haven't found the perfect one yet. So easy to throw on to make a boring outfit 100x better!

5. to make // painted pots // easy and SUPER adorable! Plus, what's better than stopping at your local garden store and picking up some cute succulents to plant them in?! :)

Summer is almost over, before it ends do those spontaneous things you would usually skip, go places you want to go, do the things you want to do, and have fun! Because, why the hell not?!

Moto Monday // Nine!

Hello Everyone!

I don't know about y'all, but I will forever have a case of the Mondays! There's just nothing good about them! If you're the same way as me, I hope these weekly Moto Monday's are helping you out! I can't believe we're on our ninth one already! :)

1. to move // The 4 x 4 Workout // This workout plan targets more spots than one, so if you need to get a quick workout fix going on...this plan is the one for you!

2. to eat // Blueberry Doughnut Muffins // I am a sucker for blueberry muffins, and the fact that this isn't just a blueberry muffin but a blueberry doughnut muffin just sounds super delicious! Take a cheat day, y'all! The recipe can be found right here!

3. to do // Splurge! // I know this is very vague but if you're like me and don't like spending too much money on yourself, I'm telling you to DO IT NOW! Buy that purse you've been eyeing, buy the makeup that you keep researching, buy the thing on amazon that's been in your cart for months! JUST DO IT! :)

4. to wear // Striped Dress // Stripes are simple, yet beautiful! I think that a striped dress is a girls summer symbol! It's classic, ya know?

5. to make // Ice Cream Cone Pinatas // Who doesn't love pinatas? These are so cute and simple to make, perfect for any party! The tutorial can be found here!

If there's one thing I can tell you guys, it's to be positive! Sometimes you let the negativity get to you but eventually, good things will happen! Don't sweat the little things, you'll make it through!

I hope you guys have a great week and a wonderful Monday! 

San Francisco Summer

This summer I visited San Francisco for the first time and I loved it. The buildings, food, fog, and everything else was absolutely wonderful! While we stayed in the relatively touristy areas, I still was able to see the mellowed out atmosphere in areas a little further from Fisherman's Wharf. Here are a few pictures from our journey:


Some of the places we visited:
Golden Gate Bridge | Fisherman's Wharf | Little Italy | Painted Ladies | Nopalito | Blue Bottle Coffee | Ritual Coffee | Sausalito | Dottie's Cafe | Hollywood Cafe | New England Seafood Market | Big Bus Tour | Lover's Lane | Beaches near the Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco wasn't what I expected but I loved it and I cannot wait to go back and spend a week there living like a local! What in San Fran would you recommend? :)

Stuck in Traffic Playlist // 90's Edition

Hello Everyone!

I don't know about y'all but I'm the type of person that NEEDS music for a traffic-y ride. I can't listen to countless ads in the morning and sometimes radio shows don't do it for me! I usually use the music app, songza, but I find myself always changing the songs and having to change the stations to find what I really want. 90's music 9 times out of 10 puts me in the best mood! So, I've decided to make a playlist! Don't worry, this one is not just 5 songs! I hope you guys enjoy and I hope this puts y'all in a great mood!

*I know there's a ton of GREAT 90's music, and I only got a teeny bit of it. So, I'll have to make more 90's playlists :) 

Lovefool // The Cardigans

Baby Got Back // Sir Mix-A-Lot

MMMBop // Hanson

Jump // Kris Kross

Groove is in the Heart // Deee-Lite

Semi Charmed Life // Third Eye Blind

Jump Around // House of Pain

Rump Shaker // Wreckx-N-Effects

Every Morning // Sugar Ray

Wannabe // Spice Girls

Thong Song // Sisqo

One Week // Barenaked Ladies

Livin' La Vida Loca // Ricky Martin

Champagne Supernova // Oasis

Ironic // Alanis Morissette 

Hold On // Wilson Phillips

Can I Get A... // JAY Z

Tubthumping // Chumbawamba

Blue (Da Ba Dee) // Eiffel 65
No Scrubs // TLC
Kiss from a Rose // Seal
Everybody (Backstreet's Back) // Backstreet Boys
Gangsta's Paradise // Coolio
All I Wanna Do // Sheryl Crow
Smooth // Santana feat. Rob Thomas
...Baby One More Time // Britney Spears
Genie In A Bottle // Christina Aguilera
You Get What You Give // New Radicals
Two Princes // Spin Doctors
Basket Case // Green Day
What's My Age Again? // Blink-182

Down below is the spotify playlist for any of you guys interested! :)

I hope you guys have a wonderful day!

Moto Monday // Eight!

Hello Everyone!

I hope the summer has been treating y'all well! I know I for one have been a busy busy bee! I'm even managing to write this as I'm at work (since I got here early)! I hope this post helps you guys have a great week! :)

1. to move // How to Get That Ass // I absolutely love a good butt workout! I even do butt workouts every day, I love them so much!

2. to eat // Lavender Berry Pavlova // I have no idea what this is, but it looks super yummy! If you're interested in making this, the recipe is here!

3. to do // Explore // Whether it's your city or even going to a different state or even a different country, go somewhere you've never been and take it all in! Life is too short to stay in one spot!

4. to wear // Sun Hat // I've always wanted a sun hat, I think they're super cute! I think they're perfect for going to the beach or just even to brunch! 

5. to make // Gold Dipped Bowl // I have a bunch of knick knacks like this around my house and to be able to make something would be great! It's great for putting your earrings or keys, basically things that you don't want to lose! The tutorial can be found here!

If you know me, you know that I absolutely love love! I think that in everything you do you should have some love because that just makes your days so much better. I know sometimes we get a little carried away and forget to include the love. I know that for me, looking forward, I plan to just try to get rid of the negativity and fill my days with love! Hopefully you guys will do the same!

MOTO Monday // seven

Hello Lovelies!

We hope you had a fabulous fourth of July weekend filled with fireworks and laughs. Now it is Monday and that means we need some inspiration for this week!

1. to move // Lazy Girl's Workout // Mid summer either means we are really into our workouts or we are getting super lazy. So here is some good motivation!


2. to eat // Lavender Honey Popsicles // I am obsessed with lavender lately and this is the perfect way to enjoy a healthy sweet treat for these sunny days.


3. to do // Watch Wes Anderson Movies // if you do not know who he is you should definitely check out his wonderful movies filled with whit, love, and perfect symmetry.


4. to wear // Matching crop top & bottom // I am totally loving  matchy matchy patterns. So cute!


5. to make  // Fruited Water // don't enjoy the taste of water? Make it better! Water is so good for you and this helps make it easier to drink and satisfying :)



This rings too true for me in many situations. Sometimes you just need to START and start slow or just make a minor difference to let you know you are going to make the change. You will never regret it.

Everyday Makeup!

Hello Everyone! 

I thought I'd give you guys some everyday makeup recommendations! I rarely have time to put makeup on in the morning which means I have to make sure I have a makeup bag with all of my essentials in it! These are a couple of the items I use on a daily basis. They're all pretty small items and they're able to fit into my little Henri Bendel makeup bag (Medium Case Dimensions: 7.6"L x 1.4"W x 5.9"H, just so you have the specs). In the picture below, it's the bag covered in stripes! 

1. Clinique Moisturizer 

This is something I use on a daily basis, just to refresh my face. It's probably the best moisturizer I've ever had, honestly! I feel so empty when I leave it at home! I believe you need a fresh palette when you put makeup on, and this is something that definitely makes your face feel fresh!

2. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer // Nude

The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is AMAZING! It's very lightweight and doesn't feel too cake-y on your face! This is perfect for any look you're going for! Especially the natural look! You can't even tell that the makeup is on. If you want it to look like you have makeup on, I wouldn't recommend this product.I honestly recommend this product to everyone because I absolutely love it so much!

3.  Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer

I have horrible dark circles so concealer is a MUST! I am extremely horrible when it comes to finding makeup on my own...so, I asked the lady at Sephora what concealer is best and she gave me this! I have to say, I feel like there could be something better but this isn't horrible. I know that's probably a bad thing to say on my list, but I'm just bein' honest! I will say, I think the reason I'm not impressed with it because I was applying too much for the longest time, and not even applying it right. So, if I find a better concealer (or not), I'll update y'all!

4. Kat Von D Eyeshadow Palette // Ludwig

I know this palette doesn't seem to neutral because of the green, but green aside, it's perfect for every day! The browns are marvelous! I could use them every single day if I wanted to! They're not too dark and not too light! And it's very easy to carry around because it's such a small palette! I take the size into huge consideration because I am an enormous fan of the Naked palettes but those aren't the easiest to carry in a small bag. 

*I couldn't find the Ludwig Palette anywhere online, but I would recommend any of Kat Von D's other eyeshadow palettes! Particularly the True Romance Eyeshadow Palette - Saint!

5. NARS Blush // Luster

I know this isn't the typical Orgasm blush from NARS but I promise you, this is great! I have the orgasm blush and I think it's great too, but I feel for my internship that the pinkish tone is a little too much. This is more of a shimmery neutral tone (described as sheer golden apricot on the website). I feel like this blush is something you can easily wear every day with any type of eyeshadow/lipstick/etc.

6. Estee Lauder Intense Kajal Eyeliner // Blackened Black

I only have this eyeliner because it came in a gift bag my mother got. I'm searching for a perfect black eyeliner that won't run (please send recommendations!). I love black eyeliner and I think that when this is applied it looks great! My only problem is that my eyes tend to get a little watery during the day and the eyeliner under my eyes smears! If you're eyes are like mine and get watery, don't get this product and join me in my search for a perfect waterproof eyeliner!

7. Makeup For Ever Mascara // Smoky Extravagant

I also only got this because it came as a Sephora birthday gift, but it is incredible! I'm honestly considering buying the actual product! As you guys can tell, I'm kind of obsessed with black! This mascara makes my eyelashes look so full and I love it! I don't know how easy carrying the regular size would be, but this little baby version I have is GREAT and if the mascara fits in my makeup bag then it will definitely have to be there!

8. Charlotte Ronson Lipgloss // Sophia

This is something I use every now and then when I want something on my lips! It's something that's really light! I don't want to put lipstick on during the day because it always ends up coming off of my lips! So, for a work day, I use lipgloss! I'm not sure if this is even sold in stores? I bought a Charlotte Ronson box set and this was in it! And it comes in this cute tube that is heart-shaped! It's too cute! 

I hope that these recommendations are helpful for y'all! All of these items are easy to carry, small enough for a makeup bag, and neutral/perfect for any outfit!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!