11.26.2013
Jumpstarting 2014: The Ranch R4.0

Ahhhh, fitness retreats. I’ve never actually done one, mostly because I’m lazy, but when the opportunity presented itself at The Ranch Malibu, I really had no excuse to say no. Starting on Thanksgiving (YES, I am skipping Thanksgiving), I’ll be spending the next four days at The Four Seasons in Westlake Village (about 30 miles from Hollywood). The best part about this is that I’m going to be “roughing it” outside for hours upon hours, only to come back to a massage and delicious meal at one of the nicest hotels in the country. It’s a rough life, let me tell you. My dad, being the avid hiker/camper that he is, originally gave me a few tips:

Dad: You only really need two pairs of socks…

Me: For FOUR DAYS…WHILE SWEATING? You are DISGUSTING.

Dad: (laughing) Well…it’s called roughing it, Jamie.

Me: I don’t know what you’re talking about…I’m staying at The Four Seasons.

Does Troop Beverly Hills come to mind? It certainly did for me. Beverly Hills, what a thrill. This is pretty much how I picture this process, at least in my dreams…

Ok, awesome 90s movies aside, 4.0 is a four day version of The Ranch’s acclaimed weeklong program, The Ranch at Live Oak / Malibu. The program runs from Thursday to Monday, and is designed for guests desiring a jump-start to a healthier lifestyle who are unable to be away from home or work for a full week, and who desire to maintain more connectivity during their program immersion.

Just like at The Ranch, guests of R4.0 will take part in 8-10 hours per day of rigorous exercise including four hours of morning mountain hiking, afternoon exercise classes and stretching, delicious organic vegetarian cuisine, massages (Friday – Sunday) and a cooking demonstration. In conjunction with California Health and Longevity Institute, R4.0 also includes medical diagnostic testing (VO2 Metabolic Testing and Body Composition).

Now, on to the important things…like what I’ll be wearing.

This is totallllly how I’m gonna look, riding a bike, next to cactus…in a sports bra. Right. In all seriousness, I actually had to get some pretty intense gear for this little outing: a Camelback, hiking shoes and, most important (at least in my mind), sweat/moisture-wicking clothing so that I don’t walk around in wet clothes all day. After nearly an hour of internet searching, I honestly just refused to spend $85 on ONE pair of stretch pants (especially after the Lululemon debacle)- sorry I’m not sorry, so thankfully the lovely team at Fabletics hooked me up with tons of sweat-wicking workout clothes and they’re REALLY, REALLY good, guys. Honestly, they fit really well, feel awesome and are made from the same quality materials as their competitors, at half the price. My new workout gear has actually made me slightly more excited to work out for 8-10 hours a day…slightly.

I’ll be on Instagram and Twitter through out my four days, so make sure to follow me to see what our group is doing. Wish me luck…sigh, I’m nervous.

11.25.2013
How to Plan the perfect party

First of all, Thanksgiving is Thursday- fact- and guys, entertaining is a legit concern in my world these days. So back when I hosted a VMAs party for COVERGIRL, I had NO IDEA how much food or alcohol to get…really, to be honest. I found myself googling “how much alcohol do you buy for six people?” and then some, which sucked, and I ended up getting annoyed and just took a guess. Luckily, I ended up buying enough of everything but having a guide like this is crazy helpful ANY time you’re having a party or even just having a few friends over. Obviously if your crazy Aunt Karen is a huge drunk, you’ll probably need more wine, but you can assess each situation as it comes along. This is a great guide that I found in Fitness magazine…so you’re welcome. P.S. you can get the awesome ice tray here and, of course, the wine is Seven Daughters!

11.13.2013
Obsessed: Wrapped LA

I’ve always had what you might call a “thing” for stationery goods. It all started back in elementary school when I insisted on always having Lisa Frank school supplies and those cool bright colored pencils that were etched…I’m blanking on their name! Anyway, I was recently introduced to the AMAZING California-based brand Wrapped LA, and my old obsession has reared its not-so-ugly head. Guys, I’m obviously really into the animal print products (duh) because their leopard print is that awesome kind of leopard print that is classic, not Snooki-apprived, if you know what I mean. Here are a few of my favorites:

Animal Style File Folders

Animal Style Gift Tags

ALL of their wrapping paper (omg, please look at the Grinch version- so perfect for Christmas)

Venice Gift Bags

Frost Gift Tags (again, perfect for the holidays)

Spot Journal

11.12.2013
True Life: I Made My Dad Test Out Two Beard Shampoos

I recently saw THIS article about beard products and was honestly just…intrigued. Obviously/hopefully, I will never have a beard of my very own but, in honor of MOvember, I enlisted Mr. William Stone (aka Daddy $ Bill) to test out the two different beard products that the Allure.com article mentions. Granted, my dad is definitely not a beauty product expert by any means…I actually keep my own bottles of shampoo and conditioner at his house for when I visit, because if I didn’t I’d be stuck with some organic, all-natural, no scent product that doesn’t actually clean or condition your hair that he “found” at Whole Foods. I believe I currently have some Fekkai stashed under his sink, and he knows that I’m the only one allowed to use it…fact. Anywho, here’s what my dad had to say about the two beard products that he tested out. If you have a man in your life with a beard, OR a man celebrating MOvember, you might want to read his thoughts…

Bluebeards Original Beard Wash:

Q: What did you think of the scent?

A: Smells very medicinal…I didn’t really like it.

Q: Did you feel it really cleansed your beard?

A: Yes.

Q: Did you notice any changes in your beard after using it?

A: It felt dry.

Wild Man Beard Wash:

Q: What did you think of the scent?

A: Nice, I liked it…it smelled herbal.

Q: Did you feel it really cleansed your beard?

A: Yes.

Q: Did you notice any changes in your beard after using it?

A: Yes, it felt softer.

Final Question: Which product would you buy for yourself, if any?

A: Wild Man Beard Wash, definitely.

11.11.2013
A Cat Holiday

If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I LOVE my two cats, Gemma and Gea. Here’s the thing, cats sometimes get a bad wrap, which I strongly disagree, and that’s exactly why I’m really into the fact that Fancy Feast® is launching Feastivities.com. I mean, it’s the ultimate gift destination for cat lovers with seven cat-inspired curated gifts…all of which I would be thrilled to receive, mind you. Cats are definitely having a “moment” when it comes to fashion and I love each item featured in the gift guide, which includes fashion-forward cat items: cat jewelry by Salty Kisses Hawaii, Gingiber art print of a cute white cat, a Little Lark black cat tote, made by Cleo cat collar, Feline Intent cat teepee (this is awesome, btw), Rover cat bow tie and Silver Lotus cat jewelry.

The site is also offering a super cute ornament for a $2 donation while supplies last, and 100% of the donations will go directly to AdoptAPet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption charity that helps more than 13,000 shelter and rescue animals find homes. Bonus.

The holidays are all about treating your loved ones well, and that includes your cat(s) too. I’m definitely putting some time aside for my girls, even if it’s something small like five minutes of toy chasing or an extra few minutes of a belly rub because, yes, my cats are weirdos and like their bellies rubbed.

P.S. Isn’t my Gea (aka Gigi Ballerina) the cutest?

This post was sponsored on behalf of Fancy Feast and Style Coalition, but all opinions are my own…as per usual.

11.04.2013
4 Simple Goals (Before 2014)

I recently read a great post on one of my favorite blogs, ABeautifulMess.com, about her tradition of setting four SIMPLE goals for herself every Fall, to end out the year on a positive note before the new year starts in January. I set quite a few 2013 “goals” for myself and sure, I’m happy to say that I actually accomplished a few of them (e.g. finally putting together my gallery wall (!), paying off my credit cards, continuing to volunteer, getting my friends “just because” gifts, etc.) but there are still a TON that I wasn’t able to accomplish. I’m thinking now that maybe listing so many goals was a mistake and also VERY overwhelming, which is why I’m into the idea of these four profoundly simple goals that I can focus on in November and December. My goals are above…what are yours?

You can participate in the A Beautiful Mess 4 Simple Goals challenge as well! Its purpose is to challenge and remind you to create healthy, life-enriching habits during the busiest time of the year. If you’re game, here are the “rules”:

1. Choose simple goals that will make your life richer and happier on a daily basis. Choose things you may not otherwise get done but are not difficult to accomplish.

2. Do not choose result oriented goals. Choose activity oriented goals. For example, instead of “lose 10 pounds”, choose something like “eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day”. Get what I’m saying? Positive actions instead of just the end result!

3. Choose personal goals you believe will truly make your life richer just by doing them! They can be daily, weekly or one time experiences.

4. Choose a reward for each goal as it is accomplished! It can be a small or large reward—it’s up to you.

5. Blog about your goals, each one as you achieve it and a big post when they are all finished before the new year! Be sure to leave us a link to your blog in the comments section. I’ll be sure to share my experiences in a follow-up post before the new year and my 2014 goals in January.

10.23.2013
Clevver News

I had to share THIS VIDEO from a recent segment that I did with the lovely ladies at Clevver News! You can watch my Tuesday Favorites segment about 11 minutes in, where I discuss three of my latest (affordable) beauty product favorites.

1. COVERGIRL Flamed Out Mascara (from their Hunger Games collection!)

2. Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

3. Mitch Stone Essentials Lustre Drops

Make sure you subscribe to the Clevver News channel because Katie and Deidre do a show every day (The Daily Hollywood Rundown) and you can get all your celeb news in under 15 minutes, which is pretty amazing if you ask me. And, of course, subscribe to my channel as well!

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