{Friday Cocktail} The Cherry Blossom-tini

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom here in DC and the annual cherry blossom festival gets started this weekend!!! With the Cherry Blossom Festival starts the annual tourist season in DC. While I love living in a city where people want to come visit (only confirming how awesome DC is),  I hate all the traffic, noise and general congestion that comes with them. But I digress. It's FRIDAY!!!

I found this yummy looking cocktail over on A Glossy Life and I just HAD to share it with you. Enjoy :)

  

• 1 part cherry brandy
• 1 part triple sec
• 1/2 part grenadine
• squeeze of lemon juice
• Cherry and assorted berries for garnish

What do you have planned for the weekend? Anything exciting?

Birchbox Find: Tarte Lip Stain Pencil

I have another confession. I'm in a long term love affair with several lip glosses. I am constantly buying them because I'm constantly "losing them" aka they end up at my desk at work and then I forget about them... For example.

Yah. I know. I have more at work than I do at home though.

They also live in my purse, where they seem to multiply.

and my car.

and my vanity (where they're supposed to live).

But I have new love who I want to introduce you to. 

This is the Tarte Lip Stain Pencil with LipSurgence. This baby came to me via my march Birchbox. If you've never heard of Birchbox you need to get on it ASAP. My bff LoPro aka the Lawfully Wedded Wife  gave me a subscription last year for my birthday and it's one of the best presents I've ever gotten (that wasn't jewelry or a car). I've been on it for almost a year now, and my Teen Vogue box this March was quite possibly the best one to date. I got a full size Essie sparkly pink polish, a set of oil blotting papers (LOVE), some fun hair ties by, a perfume sample and a full size Tarte Lip Stain Pencil with LipSurgence in joy.

I was a little hesitant about the color, because it looks VERY corally orange. I'm not a huge fan of orange lips, but it goes on beautifully and is a perfect bright pinky-coral. The texture is amazing, so soft and smooth and it smells good too :)

It goes on shiny, so you don't need any gloss. But I think the best part is it is actually a Lip stain so the color stays on for hours once the shine disappears.

It does need to be re applied after a meal, but what lip color doesn't? The color definitely makes it through a cup of coffee though, and that's a HUGE deal to me. Its a tad on the pricey side, but I promise I really think its worth it.

Have you tried the Tarte LipStain line yet? What do you think?

Politics 101: Why I Love the Game

So... I live in D.C. I work in politics. I've been a Hill Staffer. I've run a PAC. I've been following Presidential elections, watching conventions, wearing t-shirts and buying buttons since Clinton won in '92 (I kid you not, and yes I was 4). I had a election watch party in 2006 in my freshman dorm at UGA, I was a fervant follower of the 2008 Presidential election while I was in Spain. If it's possible I watched the 2010 election with an even closer eye. I can recognize and name every member of the US Senate, Supreme Court, probably about 40+% of the House Members, most of the cabinet members and even some of the White House staff. Yes I have a problem. I am well aware that I am a nerd. To me D.C. is like Hollywood, but with smart people (DC is often called Hollywood for the ugly, and its probably true) I love seeing these "celebrities" everywhere you go. So... now you have a little back ground on my obsession with politics.

While I am obsessed with every aspect of the political game, I do not approve of the partisan crap that's going on across Capitol Hill and all over the country. I hate that we've gotten stuck in this intensely partisan atmosphere, and unfortunately there's no one to blame. Well... that's not entirely true, there is a LOT of blame to go around: the 24 hour news cycle, self interested politicians, social media, campaign finance laws or rather the lack there of and the rise of the "talking head" politicos that just seem to pop up everywhere. But, I digress.

I love Congress. Yes. I said it. I don't approve of Congress, but I do love it. I love what Congress represents: a group of citizens coming together in the best form of democracy to represent their home towns and improve the lives of their friends and neighbors. But that's not what Congress is any more, and unfortunately I don't know how we get back there. Congress was created by the Constitution as one of the three branches of government. It is the branch most closely related to the people. Congress truly is "by the people for the people." I'm fascinated by the Constitution and the many checks and balances it created, and I'm so proud to live in a country where our founding fathers had such ideals and foresight to create this amazing document. You as an individual citizen can create change across the country. Look at the civil rights movement, the women's rights movement, even prohibition. These regular citizens got together at the grassroots level to improve the country for the better (Obviously I'm not a huge fan of the whole no alcohol prohibition thing, but still they got a constitutional amendment, pretty impressive).

Honestly I could write about it forever, but I know you don't want to hear my ramblings about why the US government is so great. But this is why I love the game that is politics. I appreciate the fact that I, as a private citizen, can create great changes across the country.

But if you've watched the news lately, read a paper or maybe gave $ to Colbert's SuperPAC you know the game is broken. But we can talk about that another day...

Beauty Tuesdays: Getting the Skin you want

So I have a confession. I am addicted to make up. I blame my bff the Lawfully Wedded Wife. It started YEARS ago when we visited the Clinique counter one fateful trip to Lenox Mall in Atlanta. But during my brief unemployment last year my addiction was re-triggered with the discovery of YouTube Make up gurus. I have to say in the last year I've learned A LOT about make up, different techniques, what works for my skin and what doesn't. I do not claim to be a beauty expert or guru in any way whatsoever, but I can say that I know what I like and what I don't. I'm going to share some of those products on here with you.

The most important thing to having flawless makeup is having flawless skin. Let me start by telling you a little bit of my ongoing battle with my skin. I am very fair. I wouldn't be surprised if I got a sunburn at night. On top of that I've battled acne, SERIOUS acne for most of my teens and well into college. I still don't have it completely under control, but its getting there. I've done it all, from Pro-Active to Accutane, so I feel like I can give you some pretty solid advice here ladies. But I do want to say, this is what I've discovered works best for my fair and sensitive skin, this routine may not work for you.

1. You NEED to WASH YOUR FACE. I know, beyond obvious. Seriously though, in the morning and at night. I switch up my products based on the time of year, what my skin has been doing of late etc.

2. Exfoliate. I use a daily exfoliant by Dermatologica which I LOVE, but if I feel like I really need a scrub I use my St. Ives.

3. You Need  to Moisturize. I don't care if you have super oily skin, if you have horrible breakouts, or if you just like the tight feeling your skin gets after you wash it. If you don't moisturize your skin will freak out and produce more oil to compensate... leaving you shiny and more likely to breakout. I tend to look cakey if I layer too many products on my face, so I'm trying out tinted moisturizer and mixing my fuller coverage foundation with my sunscreen and moisturizer... so far so good.

It seems that spring is finally here for good, but before you run out into the sun (like we all do) PLEASE put on some sunscreen. Skin cancer and wrinkles are SO not worth the bronzed glow now. ESPECIALLY considering all the amazing bronzers and self tanners on the market now a days. I promise, you will thank yourself later. Or you could just be cool like me, wear a hat and like SPF 85 whenever you go out... I'm just saying... its a pretty cool look.

Do y'all have any suggestions as to how I can improve my routine?