Beauty 2.

Hey guys, at the moment I am working on a gigantic fashion post which is proving quite finicky to upload. It should be up by sometime next week. For now, though, here are some of my favorite nail polishes.

Most of the polishes are from seasonal collections and can now only be purchased through Amazon, so I will include links to similar colors if possible.

First up is OPI Pirates of the Caribbean Collection Steady as She Rose. It looks like this in my noticeably messy bottle:

It is a super pretty rose color and is perfect for Teen Vogue’s Prada nails tutorial:

http://www.teenvogue.com

I am kind of in love with the shade and it is worth getting from Amazon at $7.50 for 0.5 oz.

If you would prefer a shade that is currently in production, shoot for Essie’s Lilacism, which is not a great match, but it is close. That goes for $8.00 a pop at Ulta.

Next up, OPI’s Suzi Take the Wheel, another limited edition polish, which looks like this:

I am aware that the picture does it no justice, but it is a gorgeous gray-green color that is still available at Amazon for $7.27. For a similar shade, check out School of Hard Rocks, which is obviously not the same, but will be available for a while. That goes for $8.00 at Ulta as well.

My third pick is OPI’s Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees, an amazingly complex color that is no longer available in store.

It is super hard to see in the picture, but check out Amazon (where it goes for $5.90) for a better picture. It is difficult to tell, but it is a slightly shimmery, deep purpley charcoal color that reviewers have described as looking like ink. Trust me, it’s gorgeous. For another option, give Essie’s $8 Velvet Voyeur a try (also from Ulta).

And finally, here is a color you can still buy most places: OPI’s Do You Lilac It, a vibrant pastel purple that goes for $9.00 at Ulta. In the bottle, it looks like this:

So give these colors a go! I hope you like them as much as I did!

Eat 3.

I have gotten really horrible at posting regularly, but I really am going to start doing more posts. I am currently working on about five at once, so expect some good stuff soon! But for now, here’s a yummy recipe a friend and I designed. It has some pretty strong flavors, but if you’re a fan of Italian food, you’ll love it!

Tomato-Basil Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 package of fusilli or penne pasta
• 1 small jar of julienned, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
• 1 package of cherry tomatoes, sliced into fourths
• 1 handful fresh basil, chopped finely
• 1 jar of store-bought basil pesto (or the equivalent amount of homemade)
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts
• 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 pinch of Italian herb blend
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Boil water for the pasta. Add a pinch of salt and then the pasta. Cook according to the instructions on the package, until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the chopped basil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes together. Add the salt, pepper, and Italian herbs and stir in.
3. When the pasta is cooked, drained, and rinsed, serve onto plates and distribute the pesto amongst the servings.
4. Incorporate the tomato mixture with the pesto pasta and sprinkle with the desired amount of pine nuts and parmesan.
5. Drizzle with 1/4 tsp. olive oil each and serve hot! This goes well with warm crusty bread or a simple green salad.