Looking For London: Phoenix

It’s a new Rimmel Challenge!

For the third Rimmel 10 Girl challenge Rimmel asked us each to create a guide to “The London Look” in our own towns. You know, fun and funky awesome places. And I have totally got that covered. So, without further ado, the places I think you should visit in Phoenix for a kick-ass time:

Picture courtesy of francesvintage.com

• Frances – An adorable boutique that has everything from brands you recognize like Free People to local artists’ wares. They sell clothing, shoes, cards, jewelry, baby stuff and little novelties. The place could not be more charming. They also typically have a pretty good sales rack, which is good, because stuff this nice doesn’t come cheap. And I am no millionaire. Sadly, I mostly have to stick with buying cute books and cards whenever I visit because of my price range, but since they have such a cute and fun selection of those I still enjoy shopping there. Also, all the clothing and jewelry ogling I get to do is fun as well.

Check out francesvintage.com for more information and to shop online!

Image courtesy of thatsawrapphx.com

• That’s A Wrap – My favorite place to eat in Phoenix. With a menu full of delicious wrap sandwiches (no surprise there, right?) and names like Ken and Barbie-Que and Gringo Starr and with the option to substitute tofu in every single one of them, I’m in heaven. Also, you get a side with every wrap, I prefer the delicious (though not vegan if that’s your thing) fresh pasta salad side, but they offer fruit, chips and salsa and the daily soup as a side option as well. Don’t forget to get some berry lemonade as well! That alone I think is worth trotting over there for. Oh, and P.S., the people who own That’s A Wrap also own the restaurant Green. Green is a fully vegetarian restaurant that even non-vegs can actually enjoy and look forward to dining at. And they have the same berry lemonade as That’s A Warp. SCORE!

For more information check out Thatsawrapphx.com.

• Black Carl – Ok, so this isn’t a place to visit, but if you can go out and see local band Black Carl perform you are in for a treat. I saw them for the first time about a month ago after hearing about them now and then whenever local bands were mentioned for a long time now. I’m sorry I didn’t check them out before then because they are great! So great in fact I think my parent’s stole Black Carl’s CD after I loaned it to them to listen to on a short road trip. The lead singer Emma Pew (yeah I know, the band name doesn’t really suggest a girl singer, but it is) is a powerhouse and the music is like a collection of all that is good about soul music, funk and rock all rolled into one. Annnnnd, unlike me who bought their CD after their show, you can download Black Carl’s album FOR FREE. Legally even! Which you should definitely do and then immediately listen to the song “Hussy,” because it is amazing.

Check out Black Carl at myspace.com/iamblackcarl or just download their awesomeness here.

Picture courtesy of hubbuzz.com

• The Rhythm Room – This is my favorite place to see a band in all of Phoenix. It’s small enough to make shows pretty intimate, but it’s not so small that it’s ever too crowded or creepy. The sound equipment has always seemed perfectly fine as well, though I’m not a big snob or know it all about those things. The Rhythm Room never becomes a sweaty sauna of unhappiness  during shows either, unlike the venue The Clubhouse. The layout of the Rhythm Room allows you to be right up against the (barely raised) stage during performances too. I’m all for being able to touch my favorite musicians (you know, if I was so creepily inclined). Also, it’s actually a bar, so you can fulfill all your boozy needs and not have to just settle for an overpriced vodka Redbull. I hear they serve food as well, but I’ve never actually got any food there, but supposedly they have good BBQ or something, if you eat meat and happen to be catching a show over there you should probably give it a go. Obviously the huge bands aren’t going to come here, they go to the arenas or the not-very-fun-but-large Marquee venue, but a lot of the bigger indie bands do, making this place a real gem.

Find out more and look at the upcoming shows schedule at rhythmroom.com.

Got any places or things you think I should add to the list? Let me know in the comments!

Also, stay tuned, I should be posting a new look I did with some of the makeup Rimmel sent me with this last challenge in the next few days!

No Makeup Part Deux

What was that?! Shut up wind!

Still not wearing makeup. Also, not really going out of the house, not because of my makeup free face but because it’s fricking ridiculous out there! Flash flood warnings all over the place and high winds up the wazoo! I did go to Starbucks (as you can see) though, but that was after pacing in front of the door for a few minutes trying to decide if it was safe or not. It wasn’t, but I went anyway. Such is addiction.

I did figure out how to distract from not wearing makeup: Big faux glasses and a cute headband. And an awesome poncho. Man do I love ponchos (I’m not kidding). Seriously, it all totally distracts. I think the glasses beg to be looked at instead of my mascara-less eyes as does my headband which features very cute buttons sewn on to it.

I wish I could say I made it, but I didn’t. I adore crafts and the thought of doing crafts but I never seem to complete any craft projects. Or begin very many. I bought the headband from the crafty store redvelvetart.com. If you’re inspired by the super cute-osity of the store you should follow one of the owner’s blog A Beautiful Mess. It’s full of daily inspiration in fashion, makeup and life. Elsie, the girl who writes the blog/owns Red Velvet Art, is ultra adorable.

Anyway, back on to the not wearing makeup subject, once I found things that I thought kind of drew away attention I felt better about myself and being seen (though I was mostly only seen by my family and my barista today). Wearing no makeup could be fun once in a while, just to give myself, my skin and my napping pillow a break, but it makes me feel less secure about my looks. And I already have enough typical 23-year-old angst about that subject, I don’t need to add to it.  I feel the need to mention my mother said she couldn’t event tell I wasn’t wearing makeup. Awwwwww! But then again she needs glasses to read just about anything. And her glasses were conspicuously absent when she said that. Hmmm …

I’ll leave you with this, one, a picture of me looking perturbed in my car out in the rain:

Don't worry, I was at a stop light. But look how dark it is outside! It was only like 5 pm!

Annnnnnd one more picture of me in my distracting accessories:

Poncho time!

Hey makeup, now that I’ve had a taste of life without you let’s get back together real soon, ok? Say hi to your mother for me.

Now off to read a book! Crossing my fingers the power doesn’t go out…

So Fresh, So Clean

Perhaps I should have made this picture smaller...

I didn’t even get up till noon today. But since I don’t have work or anything else important to do today that’s pretty typical for me. In fact I’m still in my pajama shirt RIGHT NOW.

Anyway, today is the first Rimmel Challenge: Don’t wear makeup for a day.So look above and you’ll notice my skin is absent of anything other than lotion with SPF 15. Though today it’s probably not necessary since it’s raining like crazy. In Phoenix, Arizona. The Valley of the Sun. So…that’s weird.

Not wearing makeup is fun because now if I decide to take a midday nap with my face down in the pillow I don’t have to worry about what it will do to my mascara (or pillow). So, I’m glad it supports my lazy cat napping ways.

It’s also kind of horrible though since me and my slew of mascaras are attached at the hip and I MISS THEM! Mascara is by far my favorite beauty product, and when once asked what item I would take to a deserted island my knee-jerk response was “mascara!” Then I tried to change my answer to sunscreen or water, but apparently you can’t change your answer in these super serious games. Since the day just began (for me) I’ll have to report back later on more thoughts about going makeup free.

As you can see from the title today, this challenge has also reminded me of this lovely little oldie. And yes, it’s totally an oldie now. Face it, we’re getting old.

Outkast – So Fresh, So Clean

My plans for today are as follows (so long as I don’t get washed out by the rain/freaked out driving in the rivers that once were my streets)

• Paint my nails
• Get dressed
• Go shopping! Maybe the mall, Target, American Apparel, wherever…

I know, exciting stuff. I might also read! Ohhhhhh, the thrills don’t stop over here. Now excuse me, I have to find my umbrella and raincoat that hasn’t seen the light of day since 2006.

Question: If you wear makeup, what item would you miss most if you had to go without any makeup for the day?