This Mud's For You

As many of you know, I am a huge beauty product junkie and finding great new products is my life's mission. These days environmentally friendly products are all the rage, and anybody who is anybody is making their brand's version of green or organic products. And while these products are supposedly better for you in the long run, I am still skeptical about their efficacy and tend to believe that chemically derived products offer better results. For this reason, I get really excited when I find new organic and green products that really work.

So let me introduce you to Alaska Glacial Mud Co. Glacial Facial Purifying Mineral Mud Masks, one of my new favorite good for you and also good for the environment products. This delightful new find of mine has so many wonderful things going for it, it is worth mentioning these goodies here: this mask is made of sustainable hand harvested Alaskan glacial mineral mud that is both wild and certified organic; it exfoliates, detoxifies, softens, moisturizes and nourishes the skin with 60+ trace elements that promote skin cell regeneration; it has anti-aging, anti-oxidant and immune protective properties; and it also has a slew of other good for you ingredients like kelp, cranberry and vitamin B5 to name a few. And in further support of its 'green-ness', the company donates 10% of its profits to wilderness preservation, habitat restoration, environmental education and sustainable community development--Wow that's impressive! So this product delivers ALL these benefits and I have not even begun to mention what it does for your skin!

After being taken with the inherent goodness of this product, I was even more surprised by the enjoyable usage experience and how fresh and radiant it made my skin look and feel. I was taken by the smell of this product (this is a big driver of why I am drawn to a particular product and I LOVED the lavender-peppermint and vanilla-lavender scents--Yummy!) which are refreshing fragrances and rather unexpected in a mud mask; I really like the cool, moist, nourishing and refreshing feeling of this mask, and it is definitely not at all drying like mud masks typically are; and best of all was the hydrated and vibrant look of my skin after washing it off. And then suddenly I snap out of this euphoric spa like experience, and I remember its good for you too--I am delighted and hooked!

I think this would be the perfect mask to use during those hot summer months when your skin is sluggish, congested and needs a refreshing 'pick me up' or when its 'that time of the month' and you are cranky and so is your skin (I think the lavender peppermint would work wonders!) Why don't you give this wonderful product a try and get your skin summer ready! Please let me know what you think and how it makes your skin look and feel--and of course as always there is a special added bonus for Romy's Raves readers: You get a FREE terrycloth headband with every order, just enter promo code FREETERRYHEADBAND-09

Romy

Woman with a Radiant Glow

Finger Lickin' Good: Great BBQ Recipes Inspired by Fruit

I don't know about you, but as the weather gets warmer and the BBQ season draws near, my mouth starts to salivate at the thought of all the yummy, tasty and often healthy BBQ food options (not to mention the myriad of cocktail options!) I always enjoy Memorial Day because its the kick off of the season and a perfect time to try some delicious and inpsired new BBQ recipes. Some of my fav summertime delights use fruit in their recipes to add a burst of flavor or an unexpected twist. Just because I love you, my loyal follower and biggest fan, I have included the links to some of these yummy recipes below, Bon Appetite!

BTW I am also on the hunt for the best homemade macaroni and potato salad recipes, you know the old fashioned kind like Grandma used to make? If you happen to have one of these tasty recipes, please post and share with us all. Happy Memorial, relax and enjoy!

Grilled Spareribs with Cherry Cola Glaze












Mara-a-Lago Turkey Burgers with Mara-a-Lago Pear Chutney











Apple Slaw









Barefoot Contessa's Curried Couscous







And of course as an added bonus I had to include a recipe for one of my all time favorite summertime libations, Sangria! Here's my favorite super easy go to sangria recipe from Hipcooks cooking classes here in LA--Dee-Lish!

Hipcooks Sangria
Serves 8

2 bottles of red wine like Two Buck Chuck from TJ's (I like Shiraz)
3 oranges, thinly sliced
3 limes, thinly sliced
½ a bottle of Mango Passionfruit juice (Trader Joes sells it or other tropical juice)
A dash of Citronge (from TJs), or Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Combine all ingredients and muddle. You can make it up to 8 hours in advance. Serve in chilled glasses with ice on a hot day. Also, you can consider adding any of the following when in season: sliced apple, peach, green grapes and even Rainier cherries. Remember to add these softer types of fruit after muddling. Also, why not try the same as above but with white wine, for a very delicious Sangria – called Clerico in Argentina.

American Idol the Final Face Off: Which guy do you relate to?

This season I found myself more intensely drawn to American Idol than any other, and being the overly analytical woman that I am, it has gotten me thinking on a deeper level about what this attraction is all about and what it all means in terms of my perspective on life. On the surface, this season was filled with some of the best talent I have seen in years, which I found in the likes of Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta, each of them gifted, unique, talented and memorable on different levels, and most importantly tremendously enjoyable to watch.

However, it has been Adam Lambert who has deeply touched me this season. He appeals to me on so many levels because he is insanely talented, hugely theatrical, larger than life, has an astounding range of styles and octaves, and in my opinion has the appeal of an iconic Superstar like David Bowie or Michael Jackosn. Every one of his performances took me on a journey and touched my soul because they were all unique, different and kept me on the edge of my seat wondering, "what will Adam do next?" Adam is such a gifted performer and has such an innate sense of what works both musically and performance wise that when he takes the stage magic happens. His performances gave me chills and replayed in my head throughout the week making me marvel at, in my humble opinion, what is by far the best talent ever to grace the American Idol stage.

On the other hand, Kris Allen, the likeable boy next door who mastered the guitar and gentle ballads was barely a blip on my radar. He did not stand out to me, I can barely remember most his performances and while he is a good singer he just did not capture my attention--and I must be in the minority because he captured the hearts of America and won the AI title.

Upon deeper examination, I ask myself what does this all mean? More importantly I wonder, why was I so drawn to Adam and not all to Kris? And suddenly it hits me, Adam reasonates with me--an outgoing, bold, curvaceous, charismatic, statement kind of a girl, who likes to reinvent herself and try new things, is unpredictable, and definitely likes to be the center of attention. And Kris on the other hand is safe, sweet, soft, familiar, predictable, and not a standout in the crowd kind of guy--and not at all relatable to me.

So which American Idol finalist is most relatable to you? Who reasonates with you? Which one captured your attention? Are you more of an Adam Glam Rock bold-take-chances kind of a person? Or are you more of a traditional, sweet, subdued, conservative play-it-safe kind person?

Let's get a dialogue going on this blog and discuss who you relate to and why, and whether you agree or disagree with my analysis and perspective--I think we could have some interesting discussions about this one.

Romy
Diva of the Blogosphere

FREE Business Cards--Such a Deal!

I recently came across another great freebie that I wanted to pass on to Romy's Raves readers: 250 FREE Business Cards from Vista Print! I was recently at a networking mixer and got a couple of really snazzy looking business cards, and to my pleasant surprise when I looked on the back of the cards I learned that they were from Vista Print, a great online printing service where you can design your own cards (from over forty options) and the best part is that you get 250 cards for FREE! This sounded too good to be true, so I went to the site to check it out for myself and low and behold they are in fact offering 250 cards for FREE (you only have to pay for shipping starting at around five bucks), not a bad deal :-)

Surprisingly, Vista Print has a lot of fun, modern designs and I really enjoyed the site interface experience. Basically this is how it goes down: first, you pick your design, then type in your text (you have to use the pre-selected layout and font) and you instantly see the layout and look of text as you type it on the card (I LOVED this feature because you immediately get to see exactly how your card will look); and then you complete and approve your text and layout, choose your preferred shipping option (slow boat is the cheapest) and process your order. This great freebie is ideal during these challenging economic times, especially when so many people are looking for work or trying to re-invent themselves. Creating my Vista Print cards was super fun, fast and easy with a price that's hard to beat-- and the best part is that I created a card I absolutely LOVE! Check out my new business cards below and then have some fun creating your own masterpiece, who knows maybe this will be the start of something exciting and new--Glad I could help!

The Secret to My Flawless Face

I have been obsessed with taking care of my skin since I was a young teenager, always asking for samples and getting facials even back then, all in an effort to perserve my youthful glow and diminish the signs of aging. And while my skin looks amazing for a forty-something year old (thankfully people usually guess thirty-something), I still need a little help getting that flawless finish. I have tried many types of foundations and mineral make-up over the years that I like, but recently I had the opportunity to try a new product that I LOVE: Gerda Spillman Bio-Fond Foundation. This is an amazing product used by many pro make-up artists because it is beautifully made with pharmaceutical grade ingredients, it has a moist, creamy light weight texture and it gives your skin a smooth velvetly finish.

The reason that I am raving about this foundation is because I just love the way it feels and looks on my skin, and the creamy powdery texture and medium coverage are perfect for me. I also really like that it comes in a compact form, it is super easy to apply with a sponge or your fingers, it offers the perfect amount of sheer coverage (or heavier if you need it), it has an appealing European skincare fragrance (which conveys high quality to me), it is waterproof, offers UVA/UVB protection, allows your skin to breathe and it lasts all day. This foundation is easy to use, offers instant pro-quality results, it feels great on the skin, offers great coverage and staying power, what more could a girl ask for in a foundation? I am in love!

Now, the true test of the appeal of this product came a couple of weeks ago when I had a dermatological procedure. My skin was very red and irritated, but I still needed to go out that evening and look decent, and to my pleasant surprise Bio-Fond surpassed my expectations. It was very gentle, it soothed my skin and it truly did a nice job of covering my flaws. I looked much better than I expected and was really happy with the results, and after this real-life test I was even more impressed with this product.

So what are you waiting for? Are you ready to try it yet? Well, now here's the best part, Romy's Raves readers get to try a deluxe sample of Bio Fond for FREE!! The delightful Samantha who heads up operations at Gerda Spillmann has generously offerred to send my readers a free deluxe mirrored compact sample (and it's a generous sample too!) of this awesome foundation to try and see for yourself how wonderful it is. There is no obligation, no sales and no purchase necessary--it's just a chance to try a great new product (that I love) and see for yourself if it is right for you.

To take advantage of this free offer, all you need to do it is call 1-800-282-3223 (FACE), tell them that Romy Raves told you to call for a free sample of Bio Fond Foundation and then the customer service agent will help you pick out the best color (there are 16 shades) that will work with your skin tone. They will send out a lovely sample for you to try, and as an added bonus they will also include a sample of their make-up primer called Hydro-Pearls as well as a sample of their cream blush in crimson (a universally flattering shade)--all for FREE!

I hope you enjoy this first of many free perks for being a follower of Romy Rave's. Stay tuned for more freebies in the future. And please let me know what you think of the Bio Fond, I'd love to hear from you.

Romy

The Porcelain Goddess

Ginger Kick My Ass--My New Favorite Summer Cocktail

Last night I had a spontaneous girls night out with one of my fav gal pal's Mel, and since it seems harder and harder to get out these days (let alone going out less in an effort to save $$), we decided to hit a new hot spot. So we made our way to Street in Hollywood, Susan Feniger's (one of the 'hot tamales' and co-owner of Border Grill) new foodie restaurant. This inspired new restaurant showcases the food of street vendors throughout the world, who create some of the most inspired food that excites the palate with unexpected flavors and exotic ingredients. And the food did not disappoint and completely delivered on this diverse and high flavored promise.

Given that it has been a while since I had a GNO, Mel and I decided to be radical and dine at the bar and we were instantly drawn into this urban, minimalist dining/bar experience. While the food impressed (and I will talk more about the delightful food experienece in a later post), it was one of her signature drinks that knocked my socks off--the Canton Ginger Kick-- because it was an explosion of flavors in my mouth--ginger, sugar, lemon, vodka--YUM! Being a wine and champagne girl, I rarely go for the cocktails, but when I sat down at the bar and saw the candied ginger beautifully displayed on a bamboo stick, I was in. This is such a refreshing, tasty, Asian inspired cocktail and I loved every drop of it. Every sip teased my palate with a zingy ginger kick, its one of those drinks that tastes so good you can barely taste the alcohol (and then suddenly you are feeling mighty fine :-). It is made with Canton Ginger Liqueur, vodka, lemon, ginger simple syrup and candied ginger as an accent and I have graciously provided the recipe below.

So feel free to make it yourself (there are alot of steps, but it is SO worth it--however I might just buy the candied ginger from Trader Joes to make it easier) or you can go to Street for the full monty experience--shimmy up to the bar, eat the unusual but tasty curried rice krispie treat balls they give you at the bar (its their version of bread btw) pay sixteen bucks for a pro to make it, sip and enjoy with the other trendy foodies. Either way its one of those things you gotta try at least once, its THAT good and I will be drinking it all summer--DEE-LISH! Have any other great summertime cocktails? Please post and share!

Romy

Ginger Goddess

Canton Ginger Kick Cocktail
Servings: 2 cocktails

Ginger syrup and candied ginger
1/2 pound peeled ginger, sliced crosswise, very thinly

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Place the ginger, water and sugar in a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan and stir gently to moisten the sugar. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes to allow the ginger to steep as the sugar dissolves; watch that the sugar does not color or burn. Remove from the heat and drain, reserving the candied ginger pieces.

2. Allow the syrup to cool, then cover and refrigerate until needed. This recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of ginger syrup.

3. To dry the candied ginger, spread the pieces out in a single layer on a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet. (To use the candied ginger as a garnish, thread a few pieces each on bamboo skewers or toothpicks and place the skewers on the sheet.) Place the sheet in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off but leave the sheet inside and allow the ginger to dry out overnight.

4. Powder the dried candied ginger by placing the slices in a spice or coffee grinder and grinding them to a fine powder. Store in a sealable plastic bag until needed.

Cocktail and assembly

Ginger powder
1 lemon wedge plus 1 ounce lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon), divided

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

3 ounces ginger liqueur, such as Canton

2 ounces vodka, such as Charbay

1 teaspoon ginger-infused syrup

Splash of soda or sparkling water

2 quarters fresh lemon (or lemon twist for those who like less citrus) for garnish

Candied ginger on bamboo skewers or toothpicks for garnish

1. Place the ginger powder onto a shallow dish or small plate. Wipe the rim of two double-rocks glasses with the lemon wedge, then turn each glass over onto the ginger powder to evenly coat the rim.

2. Divide the lemon juice and fresh ginger slices evenly between the two glasses. Muddle or gently crush the ginger well in each glass. Add ice to each glass and pour over the ginger liqueur and vodka. Top each glass with a splash of soda and stir once.

3. Garnish the rim of each glass with a lemon quarter or twist and candied ginger skewer. Serve immediately.

Note: Canton Ginger Liqueur and Charbay Vodka can be found at good liqueur stores. The candied ginger recipe yields more powdered candied ginger than is required for the recipe. Store the powder in a sealable plastic bag in a cool, dry place; it should keep for several weeks. The recipe also yields more candied ginger than is needed for the recipe; the syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Time: Do you have Too Much of it or Not Enough?

Do you constantly feel like you are chasing down the clock? Do you feel that even with 10-12 hours in a day, you never have the time to get it all done? Do you often feel unproductive and like you don't spend your time wisely? If you answered yes to any of these questions, welcome to my world! One of the big challenges with being a consultant and working from home is staying motivated and allocating your time effectively, and I constantly struggle with this. I grapple with what to put first, what to prioritize and how not to get distracted from them important 'to do's', which coincidentally are often the hardest tasks and the ones I tend to avoid. Sound familiar??


Take working out/going to the gym for example (something I truly enjoy and feel so much better after doing), I so want to do it in my head but when I wake up in the morning the last thing I want to do is go to the gym, so I push it back until the end of the day, and of course frequently don't make it. Then I feel like crap and am not motivated to do the other things on my list and then the day gets away from me.


And then there are other days where I can conquer the world, when I wake up early, workout, run errands, catch up on my to do's, work/write an article and still have time to spare. So I wonder to myself, what is happening on those days where I get it all done and feel like time is on my side?? What is the secret sauce to having more days like this I wonder to myself? And then it hits me, on those productive days, I don't fight with time and don't put out that energy to the universe that I don't have enough time, I just do it. I do what I have to do with no resistance or overthinking, I just 'go with the flow' and miraculously I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME! It is a simple and easy shift, yet so challenging to execute. As much as I cling to and am overwhelmed by my 'To Do' lists, its time for me to let go and let it flow.


Let's start a dialogue going about our relationships with time, how you manage it and share tips and challenges with others, but do it now because the clock is ticking.


Romy
Queen of Timelessness

How Does She Get That Special Sparkle in her Eyes?

Are you a night owl like me? Do you get your second wind around 11pm and then feel like you can conquer the world? Do you then pay the price for it the next morning by looking tired, swollen, racoon-eyed? I do!! Last night for example, I was deep into my spring cleaning project (see my earlier post on this topic), and then after being wound up from that, I just HAD to watch Adam Lambert blow it out of the box with his version of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love, he is the best AI talent ever and he gives me the chills! Anyway, after that it was well past 1am before my head hit the pillow. The next thing I know it is 7am and my adorable 5 year old, in all his perky glory has decided it is time for me to get up and I SO don't want to! Needless to say, I was NOT looking perky, fresh or well rested--can anyone say bags, puffiness and dark circles???

So what's a girl to do? This is where my beauty product obsession comes in handy, and after constantly trying so many products over the years, I currently have a nice little morning ritual of products for my eyes that really saves me, helps me look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and most importantly like I have had about eight hours of sleep.

So here is my current wake-up-the-eyes regimen:

1. My absolute first step out of bed these days is Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller. This wonderous drugstore product instantly hydrates, depuffs and diminishes the dark circles around my eyes. The combination of the cold roller ball and caffiene do the trick and I am really happy with the results.
2. Next, another long time staple in my beauty tool arsenal is Shu Uemura's cult Eyelash Curler, and I have used this magical tool religiously everyday since I can remember. In my opinion, it is the best on the market because it holds up over time and gives your lashes the best curl. And when my lashes are curled, I look instantly more awake and refreshed. If you have never curled your lashes get started now girlfriend, better late than never!
3. Now for covering those nasty dark circles, I have tried many concealers over the years with limited satisfaction, but lately I have been loving Benefit's Erase Paste (Number 2/Medium) because it offers very good coverage/concealing and brightening both at the same time. You get two products for the price of one and I like saving money these days. After being de-puffed, curled, concealed and brightened, I am starting to finally look awake in under five minutes.
4. My last two steps just seal the deal with additional lightening, brightening and that special sparkle in my eye. I absolutley love the creative and inspired products by celebrity make-up artist Mally Roncal. My hands down fav product in this eye brightening recipe is Mally Beauty's Light Wand Eye Brightener, it is literally like a magic wand for the eyes and instantly makes your eyes look bright and alive. It is actually a two sided pencil product with one side being a white-gold-champagne colored eye pencil that you draw on the inner corners of your eyes and then you soften and finish it with the other product which is the same color powder dispensed through the cap and applied over the line like a smudger. After using this magic wand, your eyes glisten and you look like you have that special sparkle in your eyes--Brilliant!
5. The final step if needed (and I usually do) is a smidge of Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat (Number 2), which is also a cult favorite eye brightener for make-up junkies like me. You just put a small amount of this magical product over your concealer as the very last step after your traditional make-up is done. I usually just use a dot on the inner part of my circles just to add the icing on the cake.

It's sounds like a lot of steps, but it really takes so little time and has a very big impact on how I look and feel. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Here's to our little secret,

Romy

That Girl with the Special Sparkle in her Eyes

More Great Freebies

Aren't you glad you came back for more of Romy's Raves? I am!! As I promised yesterday, there are so many great freebies that I keep coming across these days and I am more than happy to share the wealth with my readers, Enjoy!

• Get Into Glen Ivy Hot Springs Free on your birthday
• You must go on the exact day of your birthday to ge the free entrance. It is such a fun and relaxing way to spend the day with girlfriends and they have great outdoor mud pools and mineral spas to soak in (spa treatments are extra of course)--This ends up being a $40-$50 value depending when you go.

• Kids Eat Free on Wednesday Nights at Marmalade Cafe
• Every Wednesday beginning at 4pm is Kids' Night at participating Marmalade Cafe locations. Kids age 10 and under receive one free Kid's Meal with a purchase of an adult entree of $10 or more.

Have you noticed anything positive about this down economy?

Recently, my amazing life coach asked me a version of the question I have used as my title for this blog, "What are the positive outcomes that you have noticed as a result of our strained economy?" I loved this question because it threw me for a loop--when I think to myself, "Hmmm. . . has anything good or positive happened as a result of our current economy?" This sounds a bit ridiculous at first, but as I begin to think about it further, what I start to realize is that in this challenged time, if we all keep jumping on this bandwagon of 'times are tough' and 'my business is significantly down' and 'I have too many bills and not enough income' and 'no one is spending money these days' etc., with all this negative talk we just keep feeding this negative collective unconscious and continue to attract more lack and less abundance. And if you believe in the Laws of Attraction at all, this negative mindset of having constant money strain and stress continues to perpetuate this problem rather than eradicate it. After taking the time to really digest her question, it finally starts to hit me--the only way to shift this current predicament is to shift my thinking.

So after I am able to jump off the negative money train, I am delighted to realize that I definitely have noticed some wonderfully positive shifts as a result of this economic strain. The most significant positive shift that I have noticed is that people have become more honest and genuine about their financial situation by telling it straight, and not acting like they have more than they really do. This diminishing superficiality has led to more connectedness than ever before. To me, this genuine sharing feels more reminiscent of a bygone era, where hanging out with people, talking and sharing meals was more important than anything else and more of the norm. Among my friends, I have begun to notice this trend taking shape, where people are more interested in hanging out, having potluck family dinners in their homes, enjoying good food, wine, and companionship. This is becoming more appealing than mindlessly going out to a spendy, trendy restaurant that often disappoints in both quality and value. Friends seem to be enjoying hanging out more than ever, seem to enjoy opening up their homes, even sharing babysitters--all in an effort to bond and conserve money, and I see this as such a wonderfully positive shift.

I have also noticed that many fast food and family based restaurants are offering more freebies and deals than ever before. For example, in the last month both Baskin Robins and Ben and Jerry's have given away free ice cream cones and both KFC and El Pollo Loco have given away free chicken, all in and effort to build brand loyalty and let customer's know that these companies are there for their consumers in these difficult times. These businesses want to ease the stress with these free perks and this gratis only contributes to a positive greater good. And these freebies continue every week, like on Mother's Day TCBY is giving mom's free yougurt and on Thursday, May 7 from 4-8pm, the Coffee Bean is giving away free 12oz. Iced Coffees--and the list goes on and on every week. These are positive changes I can get used to, can you?

I would love for you to share any positive shifts that you have noticed as a result of the economy, and please post them on this blog and share any freebies you hear about too! And I promise to continually 'rave' about great freebies or deals that I hear about on this blog too.

Romy,
Gratis and Gratitude Goddess
"I move from poverty thinking to prosperity thinking, and my finances reflect this change"
Louise Hay