A Maggiano's [inspired] Chopped Salad

I am a moderate fan of the relatively large chain of Italian restaurants Maggiano's. I've mostly visited for special occasions and I've never had anything I've hated. One of my favorite dishes they serve has to be the chopped salad.

I don't really know how they managed to make something so simple  this delicious, but they did. It has everything I really want in a salad: tang, sweetness, creamy, crispy, and salty.

I searched the internet high and low, and decided this was the recipe I was going to try and replicate (Mainly because the author mentioned how he had called Maggiano's and they happily gave their recipe). I'm glad I picked it because it is just like the salad I remember so fondly.

I did however take a few liberties with the recipe by reducing the amount of sugar in the dressing and adding a chopped red onion and zucchini, but that's okay with a salad like this. You can really take something so simple and make it extra personal by adding (or omitting) ingredients.

I apologize for being too lazy to photograph every single step, but definitely check out the recipe here.

Glamour Look by Mary Kay®

I recently joined influenster after randomly hearing about it somewhere on the internets. Luckily I am pretty glad I did because it is a totally awesome way to find out about new products and let the world in on them too after I try them. 

My first box came c / o Mary Kay and I had no idea what to expect. For years I have heard jokes about the, "The Mary Kay," ladies, but I myself had never come into contact with anyone any affiliations to the company. 

That being said I was pleasantly surprised by the contents of the box and absolutely fell in love with the lip color they provided. 

The cream shadow they sent is a pretty purple color, but probably not something I'd wear very often because I tend to stick to golds and neutrals, but I did like how blend-able it was and the fact that it had good lasting power. Additionally the brush they sent to apply it worked quite well with the texture of the cream shadow and I will likely be using it to apply the other cream shadows I've adopted over the years. 

I've never really been a big fan of lash primers so I wasn't too terribly excited about this one, but it worked well enough but primers on my lashes tend to make them chunky. 

The mascara wasn't my favorite but I really did like the brush and I'm notorious for using multiple kinds of mascara when I apply to get the length and volume I want so I'm sure this will get mixed in. 

Overall I'd probably give the entire kit 3 *** stars because I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Mary Kay's products, and I absolutely adore the cream lip color, but not all the products included would fit into my current routine. 

Thanks so much Influenster & Mary Kay 

Until we meet again, 

Siobhain

Pre-Birthday Beach Day

I don't know anyone who doesn't get excited for their birthday. I definitely get excited for mine and obviously spend as much of it with the people I love as possible. This past Saturday I celebrated early with a few of my best friends and my boyfriend in Santa Cruz.

We started with brunch at The Harbor Cafe, where we indulged in bloody mary's and greyhounds outside on their patio while we waited for our table. When we finally got seated I ordered their Cali Bene which was a delicious eggs benedict over a croissant with bacon and avocado. (Unfortunately I didn't bring in my camera, which I am obviously regretting now because the food was so delicious!) 

After brunch we went to a favorite beach spot of mine and relaxed and people watched. It was surprisingly not as crowded as we thought it would be and really enjoyed the amount of space we had on the beach. It was so relaxing that my friend Nicole's boyfriend Manny took a nap on the beach, while the rest of us chatted while basking in the sun. 

I can't wait for the rest of the week because there are a few more birthday shenanigans I am going to get into. Dinner @ Flour + Water in the city & a Moroccan Meal with the family Wednesday for my actual birthday. 

dress: aritzia  / sandals: zara (old)  / hat: f21 / necklace: f21, etsy

What are your birthday plans this year? 

xx

Siobhain 

DIY [Beauty Balm]

Did you know that I hate wearing full coverage? With an insane passion. I can't stand the way a filmy layer of makeup is over my face. Which is why my favorite makeup multi-task is a homemade BB cream.

I loved the idea of the BB cream and all the benefits companies praised them for having, but I just couldn't find a BB for me.

So I made one.

 I already had all the ingredients in my makeup bag, and it just seemed inevitable that I would love my own creation instead of the store bought kinds.

The biggest pitfall of pre-made BB's is that you have to try and find the right shade for your skin. Also you don't know what kind of "primer" they used and the moisturizer might not be right for your skin.

Luckily all those problems are solved right in your own makeup bag because, more than likely, you already have a favorite all-over primer, liquid foundation and moisturizer.

 Start with a small dollop of moisturizer, St. Ives Collagen Elastin is seriously my favorite… it does its thing without being heavy or sticky and absorbs quickly into your skin. This one is hard to find at actual stores so I suggest nabbing it online.

Add a pea sized amount of primer. (Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel -- I got mine at CVS for 8$, don't pay 18$ for it!) I know this does't look like primer but it is because it is 100% of the same ingredient  (Dimethicone) that is in so many primers for at least half the cost, and it doesn't contain any additional colors or fragrances. (Compare to Smashbox or Bare Minerals)

And then add a drop or two of your favorite liquid foundation (More or less based on the kind of coverage you want). I love Benefit's Hello Flawless because it has nice yellow undertones that so many other brands are missing (Yellow instead of pink for us Hapa's / Asians)

  Mix it all together and apply like you would with a tinted moisturizer or store bought BB. 

Voila! Perfect skin without wasting money on something you might hate!

What are your favorite beauty multitaskers? 

<3

Sio

Simple Summer Salad

Too often during a California summer I have nights where the mere idea of turning on the grill or stove is just too much extra work for dinner. Salads in the summer are an easy option and are quick to prepare without having to use the stove, which might increase the risk of elevating the temperature of an already hot room.

My parents make this salad all the time in the summer, but I lightened up the dressing by replacing most of the mayonnaise in the dressing with 0% non-fat greek yogurt.

This salad has just what it needs to be good but without going overboard with crazy additions. Fresh butter lettuce, refreshing spring onions, a cold hard boiled egg, heirloom tomatoes, and an english cucumber.

Ingredients: 

Head of Butter Lettuce
1 Hard boiled egg
1 Cucumber
1-2 Scallions
1 Lemon
1 Tomato cut into wedges
1/2 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 tbsp 0% non fat greek yogurt

For the dressing:
serves 1

In a bowl mix together 2 tbsp of greek yogurt, and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise. Squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste. (Roughly 1/2 a lemon)

Drizzle dressing over the salad, enjoy!