Del Mar Racing Summer 2015

It's the season to be at the horse races! Until Monday, September 7, 2015 visit the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club for exciting horse races and events. A great way to get to Del Mar is via train. If you're wanting to ride the Amtrak train, stop at the Solana Beach station and a complimentary double decker English-style bus shuttles you from the station to the thoroughbred club entrance approximately every 30 minutes. Although until the end of the season, the train will be packed due to the influx of riders heading down to Del Mar.
When Scott and I rode the 10:40am Saturday train from Irvine to Solana, he didn't have a seat for most of the way and many other people were standing. The conductor had notified everyone as to why it was packed in the train cars and therefore standing room only (he wasn't quite a fan of the Del Mar scene, but did a great job at making sure the riders were aware of the situation). There are also a couple of local trains, Coaster and Sprinter serving the San Diego area.

The bus ride was fun, and a mere 7 minutes or so away; I liked that I didn't have to:
a) Drive down to Del Mar, possibly getting stuck in gnarly traffic (there and back)
b) Was able to enjoy the scenery (love going south because you get an amazing view of the ocean)
c)  Could drink either on the train, at the venue or both
d) Don't have to pay for parking at the Del Mar lot then wait for a tram
e) Although I need to keep active, virtually no walking is involved from when I step off the bus to the front entrance (if you get stuck parking far away, you have to walk to the tram stop or walk all the way to the front entrance if you don't want to wait for a tram)

Scott and I grabbed lunch and drinks at one of the patio dining areas, then headed out to the stands. We ended up standing to watch each race (which is only a few minutes, with 15 minute intervals in between) since we didn't mind it and you have a purchase seats if you want to sit. The last race that we watched, we went down to the front of the stands where there is an open area and you can bring your own chairs or blankets to sit. Placing bets was fairly easy after Scott explained it to me; you can do this with an attendant or at a machine, but we used the machine to obtain money vouchers, which were then inserted into another machine to place bets. I had no idea which horses to bet on, but I placed bets in which the horse would have to win 1st, Place in 2nd or 3rd, or Place in 1st-3rd.

Check out the 2015 Del Mar Racing Season Calendar here, and entry prices and info here; and when I got to attend Opening Day of the 2014 Season!

Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd
Del Mar, CA 92014

Hair Masks to Use this Summer

I was sent 4 conditioning hair products to try, which is incredibly helpful since my hair started to dry out and become course from the bleaching/dying and the craziest heat exposure here in So Cal. I tried the following masks and gel and found that the easiest to use was the RUSK Deepshine Color Repair Restorative Masque because of the squeeze bottle packaging. The best results in shine, moisture and smoothness was from using the Cantu Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream, although the RUSK and Macadamia product did create shines and add moisture, I liked the results from Cantu the most. I've used a Macadamia Deep Hair Mask before, but unfortunately was not as impressed with the results of this Macadamia Professional Ultra Rich Moisture Masque

When using the Smooth 'N Shine Olive & Tea Tree Extra Hold Conditioning Gel, I applied it onto my hair as I would gel or mousse. I liked that it dried fairly quickly in my hands (so I wouldn't have to wipe off excess gel from my hands), and the product didn't harden my hair. It has a pleasant tea tree fragrance, and it really smoothed down any hairs without looking like I applied a ton of product into my hair.

Read more about and shop these products below:

Smooth �N Shine Olive & Tea Tree Extra Hold Conditioning Gel 
At last, a conditioning gel that holds up to its name! Smooth 'n Shine Polishing Extra Hold Conditioning Gel is an non-hardening styling gel that revives dry hair with the holding benefits of a gel and the conditioning it needs for superb softness and shine. It's formulated with a perfectly balanced blend of olive and tea tree oils that nourish and transform hair on a microscopic level so hair doesn't feel weighed down!

Cantu Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream
This miracle mask is formulated for dry or coarse hair and is infused with 100% pure Argan Oil. Cantu Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream stops and mends hair breakage while leaving hair soft, shiny, and manageable.

RUSK Deepshine Color Repair Restorative Masque
This masque deeply penetrates the cuticle to help strengthen and repair damaged, stressed hair. Contains bio-marine ingredients and a patented UV-absorbing technology with antioxidant-rich vitamin E acetate to help shield hair color against damaging sun-generated free radicals, a leading cause of accelerated hair color fading.

Macadamia Professional Ultra Rich Moisture Masque
Macadamia Professional Ultra Rich Moisture masque provides nourishment to dry, damaged hair and strengthens the individual hair strands to help repair and defend against future damage. Hydration is locked in and hair is left healthy, shiny and restored. With Macadamia Oil, Argan Oil and Shea Butter this masque is great for coarse to coiled hair!

One Shoulder Goddess Gown

I recently connected with LA blogger, Rachel McCord of The McCord List, and was thrilled to find out that she had created her own social influencer and blogger showroom loft space in West LA which houses fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. While visiting her showroom space a couple weeks ago, she shared designs by Pia Gladys Perey, a designer from the Philippines. I pulled three gowns, and here's the first; The Ingrid Gown, a beautiful one-shoulder, Grecian-esque gown in a pretty periwinkle shade. I met up with photographer Shawna of Bleudog Fotography and had fun shooting in the last bit of sunlight at Lost Winds beach in San Clemente. This style along with many of the other Pia Gladys Perey dresses and gowns are perfect for a bridal party or bride. I love the variety of colors and cuts available, as well as how the fabric moves; it looks expensive and it's doesn't feel heavy or weigh me down when worn. If you are planning a wedding, you need to take a look at Pia Gladys Perey!Photos taken by Shawna of Bleudog Fotography

The OC Fair's One Big Party Ends August 16th

Happy Friday everyone! There's still time to hit up the OC Fair's One Big Party before it's gone! How could you go this summer without riding fair rides, eating something fried, and winning ridiculous large plushies, all while in the gorgeous OC surroundings. There's also a great roster of programming and events, check out all the info on OC Fair's website!

OC Fair
88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, California 92626
Hours
Friday: Noon-Midnight
Saturday-Sunday: 10 am-Midnight
Admission & Parking Info 
There is also parking available at the nearby school lots (some are paid, others are free; I parked at Orange County College and it was complimentary)
To avoid the congestion and back up off of the 55 Freeway / Fair Dr. exit, exit the freeway at fairview off of the 405 N or S.

Ever Pretty Lace & Sleek Mermaid Gown

Ever Pretty is an online shop filled with dresses and gowns to fit a variety of occasions such as prom, girls night out and weddings at a very reasonable price point. I was initially drawn to Ever Pretty's Elegant Mermaid Evening Dress because of the mesh and lace applique detail, as well as a hip hugging cut and flared mermaid hem which creates a sleek silhouette. I haven't worn a dramatic shape before, and was quite excited to try this.

Due to the nature of the fabric, I had to do some intense steaming (which I don't mind) to the gown, before photographing in it. The fabric is made of a satin weave so it has a shine to it, which can sometimes look tacky; but it worked with this dress' simple lines and minimal embellishments.

The bust is fully padded, which means I can go bra-free, always a plus when you don't have a bra that will fit the cut of the dress without being exposed (this dress has a low, mesh back). A downside is that because I don't have a very large bust, I couldn't fully fill in the cups of the dress so it didn't sit quite right on the chest.

I'm usually a size 00/0, but I ordered a size 4, because it was the smallest size available in this style. Unfortunately, I wasn't blessed with hips and curves, so I didn't fill in the dress, and I therefore got a bit lost in the fabric; but nothing a little pinning can't do to create the illusion that it fits well for the photos. Too bad, I won't be able to wear this gown to an event unless I get it altered, but for the right body, this will look phenomenal. I must say that I did feel like quite the vixen in this gown once my hair and makeup were done up.

Shot by my best babe Renee of Hanger Shortage, we also snapped some photos of this dress with a bit of a mysterious and sultry editorial twist. I can't wait to share that edit with you!
Photos taken by Renee Rogers

La Roche-Posay's NEW Suncare Launches

I've heard such spectacular things about skincare brand La Roche-Posay from my good friend Angel whom had actually gotten to visit the French town of La Roche-Posay and has tried many of the brand's products. Therefore, I was filled with excitement when I was invited to a summer breakfast at Fig + Olive in West Hollywood to learn more about the brand's sun care launches (including the sunscreen serum Anthelios AOX) and makeup artist must-haves.
The Brand�s Assistant Vice President, Tyler Steele and Board certified dermatologist Shirley Chi, M.D. spoke about each new product as well as the importance of sun care. Chi explained how adult acne is much more common over the age of 25/30, and these products are great for acne prone skin because other acne products tend to over dry skin, and La Roche-Posay doesn't dry out skin but moisturizes it. I have become increasingly more aware of the intense, daily sun exposure and pollutants my skin experiences and am glad I learned more about how to protect my skin; as well as take home a La Roche-Posay sun care goodies to try.
I swatch-ed all of the products during the lunch, but also started using the Anthelios 60 Cooling Water-Lotion Sunscreen, which is seamless to put on and doesn't feel like I'm wearing sunscreen, making daily application of sunscreen effortless. I also started using the Physiological Micellar Solution every evening after removing makeup with a towelette and I love how much leftover remnants the solution picks up as well as soothes and tones my skin; it's also very gentle.
I am beyond thrilled to use the other products and share more about my experiences, now go protect your skin! Apply and reapply sunscreen, and check out the rest of La Roche-Posay's products here.