like it, love it, gotta have it: hair oils

during my teenage years, my thick curly/wavy hair was one of the biggest banes of my existence (#teenagegirlproblems). it seemed that everyone I knew had long, sleek straight hair- and I was willing to do whatever it took to have that same look. my friends and I went to extremes, lining up on our knees to have our hair literally ironed with our mother's clothing irons and our necks pressed against the ironing board, to achieve our dream hair. now that I'm a bit older, and a heck of a lot wiser, I've learned the importance of working with your natural texture- and not against it. for me, the best way to achieve smooth and frizz free hair without heat is to use an oil product on damp hair and let it air dry. I've tried quite a few products, both high end and drugstore, and have rounded up three of my favorites.

Like It: Organix Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy Anti Breakage Serum. I picked up this product after I tried, and loved, the shampoo and condition from the same line. The oil worked fine at keeping the frizz at bay, but I found that the oil was way too heavy for my hair, and weighed it down. as someone who doesn't wash their hair everyday, I tend to steer clear of products that require frequent washings, and this was definitely one of them. while the price point is great, and the availability at the drug store is even better, it's just an alright product for me.

Love It: L'Oréal Oleo Therapy Perfecting Oil-Essence.  It was quite a difficult decision choosing between Love It and Like It for this product. If we're being fair, both are tied for times repurchased , which to me is the true test of loving a product. But the other just manages to squeak past and take the title. But this oil, was a gift to me from my former boss when it didn't quite work for her. She found it wasn't quite heavy enough to tame her very curly hair (if you're blessed with truly kinky, curly hair this may not be the best for you), but it provided the perfect weight without totally weighing down mine. Unlike the Organix version, which was way too much to use on dry hair for a slight touch up/to smooth flyaways, this product can be used on both damp and dry hair, without feeling heavy or leaving you looking like you haven't washed your hair in days (ie grease ball status). While I love the luxurious feeling of a glass bottle, it made traveling with the product a bit more difficult (but two thumbs up on the pump design). And being able to pop into a drug store and repurchase is always better than having to schlep all the way to a salon when you realize you've run out.

Gotta Have It: Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Styling Treatment Oil. This oil takes the cake- I love the packing (plastic for the win), the pump top, (which makes knowing the exact amount you need/not wasting product possible) and the amazing smell, but besides that the results are holy grail status. It leaves my hair smooth and silky, and my curls frizz free even in the hot, summer weather (including the annoying kinky curls around my temples). I've always had a soft spot for Paul Mitchell products (The Conditioner was the only thing I used on my hair as a little girl), so when my hair dresser used this product on me during a cut years ago, I knew it would be good stuff. His products can be a bit pricey, and not always easily available (even in the "Salon Section" of drugstores), but if you can find it/swing the price point, try it- you will love the results.

what are some of your favorite hair products to create your flawless looks? I always love experimenting with new products, and discovering new holy grails.

xx, marissa

beverly hills whatta thrill

it's been exactly twenty three days since I made the hop, skip, and jump from boston to los angeles, and I'm still in that weird "I feel like I've been here forever" slash "it feels like it's been 5 minutes" phase. I jumped right into work the second day I arrived (#whatwasIthinking), and have been attempting to adjust to the time difference/jet lag/settling in phase ever since. I feel like Thanksgiving, with it's sleeping in/laid back vibe/good food/humbling attitude, has given me just what I needed to get my butt into gear. what an incredible opportunity for me to be here in california, with one of my best friends, in a city with so many amazing opportunities, and limitless adventures. in these twenty three days I've managed to cross quite a few things off my LA bucket list; lunch at Lemonade (order the arnold palmer with mac & cheese- so good!), visit the urban lights at the LA county museum of art (expect a post with pictures soon because it was just too pretty not to have a mini photo shoot), shopping on melrose (surprise visit from my cousin who decided to drive down from san fran for the weekend), santa monica (celebrated a very Persian thanksgiving with Nikki's family at her grandmothers by the beach. less traditional, more rice- but amazing), but there are still plenty of adventures to be had :)

xx, marissa

love letter to boston

dear boston,

you and I go back quite a bit. you were the first city I remember visiting as a kid, and thinking to myself, this is where I want to live when I grow up. driving through you during the hiccup (then shit show) that was the big dig was interesting. you were the place that housed the museums that featured some of my favorite works, and opened my eyes to the beauty of rembrant, degas, and monet. you were where we went for certain foods that couldn't be found in the boonies when we made the move from the north shore to hopedale (pizza from santarpio's and pastries from modern). for an adventure filene's basement was always there to riffle through and score good deals, but it was more the thrill of the hunt that we loved than actually shopping. newbury street (at the time) opened by eyes to the benefits of boutique shopping, and I was introduced to designers and brands that couldn't be found at my suburban shopping mall. you were the home of suffolk- the school that I dreamed of, and hoped and prayed senior year that I would get into. where I thought that my career aspirations of law school would come into fruition, and I would make a difference in the world. you are where I made my first best friendship that I wasn't born into/was a result of location, and where I tiptoed into letting someone into my heart for the first time. you are where I experienced a sense of fear & vulnerability that I had never felt, that ultimately shook me enough to take a good, hard look at my life, and see that it wasn't going where I wanted it to go. you were my home during the quarter life crisis, where I eventually picked myself up, dusted myself off, and moved forward. you are where I found my two bosses who turned into mentors/role models, and opened my eyes to the benefits of having a strong & bad ass circle of female friends. and now, it is where I leave you, to start a new life in a new city. I will forever miss your amazing weather that month and a half out of the year, oh fall why can't everyone have you! I will miss your citizens with brains full of knowledge and mouths full of sarcasm. I will miss your windy, cobblestone streets; your one ways; and your blue book laws that I've cursed forever. you've been good to me boston, and I can't wait until I see you again.

love, marissa

city faves: boston

after a long (and eventful/exhausting/heartbreaking/transforming/amazing) 7 years of calling boston my home, the time has come to close this chapter of my life. this city is amazing, and anyone who tells you otherwise has no idea what they're talking about (or they're from new york... so same thing). besides the fact that the entire city is walk-able (and as a car hater, one of my favorite aspects!), has some of the oldest places in the country, and has FALL- there are plenty of reasons to love good ole' beantown. whether you're a first time visitor, live in the city, or are from a surrounding town/city in massachusetts- I'm rounding up some of my favorite places/spaces/things to do in this glorious city.

catch a game at fenway: baseball has been my favorite sport since I was a kid (having an older brother who played on about 4 teams, my weekends and evenings were spent at fields & training camps, and my summers were filled with trips to cooperstown & ballparks). my love of the game has evolved over time, and it's one of my favorite ways to spend a summer night. if you love baseball/the sox, a trip to fenway is non-negoationable. but even if you're not super jazzed to watch a game, fenway itself is incredible. I get goosebumps every time I enter the stadium, and catch my first glimpse of the field or the green monster. there's no such thing as a bad seat at fenway, and even going the bleacher route is always a good time. (honorable mentions- a bruins game or a celtics game. as a city of champions, we have some mighty fine teams to pick from. patriots don't count, unless you want to schelp all the way to foxboro.)

spend some time in the garden: sucha tourist trap on a beautiful day/the weekend (but who am I kidding, where isn't?!), but so worth it. not only are the grounds beautiful (gorgeous well maintained flowers and plenty of benches to sit on), but the trees and lagoon are amazing, and the people watching is incredible. one saturday mid-summer there were 11 weddings/bridal party shoots/photo shoots- eleven! make sure and check out the make way for ducklings statues, and the bench from good will hunting.

visit the museums: there are many museums to check out within the city, whatever may tickle your fancy. my favorites are the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Fine Art- but there's also the Museum of Science, the Bostons Children's Museum, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and many, many more. I took a few classes at the ICA for my Art History minor in college, so it holds  special place in my heart, but as a huge fan of contemporary art, their collection is amazing. make sure to check out the harbor walk while you're over there, a gorgeous place to spend an afternoon outside. the MFA has a fantastic collection, and their exhibits are always changing and featuring something new. the close proximity to the Gardner museum is great, two museums in one afternoon (although the MFA is the type of museum that I like to do in chunks), and enjoy the Back Bay Fens while you're over there.

celebrate saint patrick's day (the right way): as a half blooded irish gal, saint patrick's day has always been my favorite day. as a kid it meant a giant party with my entire irish side of the family, enough corned beef and cabbage to feed a small army (bleck!), and generally good times and memories. as I got older, it meant a day to wear my second favorite color, celebrate my ancestors, and have a great day partying with friends. if you're looking to do st. patty's day right, there's no better place to celebrate than southie. get to the parade route early, grab a good spot, and make sure to hit the packie the night before (the lines are insane). you're in for a grand ole' day.

enjoy the water: since boston is a place with awful weather 8 or 9 months out of the year, once it starts to turn, you have to take every chance you can to be outside. the north end ends at the harbor, and beacon hill/back bay butt the charles- both beautiful areas to hang out around on a gorgeous spring/summer/early fall day. whether it's renting sailboats/paddle boats on the charles, hanging out on the docks, walking along the harbor walk, or enjoying a water taxi- boston is lucky enough not to be land locked. make the most of it!

via ilostmydog.com

visit the different neighborhoods: i've blogged about my love of many of the different areas of boston (n.end/s.end/beacon hill), and they are one of my favorite aspects of the city. I know that all cities have different areas (complete with names, characters, and specialties compared to others), but the fact that you can walk from one to the other, and do an entire tour of the city so easily here is amazing. start your day with breakfast and shopping on beacon hill, head to the south end for coffee while strolling the neighborhood before dinner and cocktails (even going through back bay/newbury street for more shopping), and finish your night with desert and a night cap in the north end.

amazing restaurants, universities, parks, shopping, cafes, streets, bars, nightclubs, concert venues- to me, boston has it all. but, as much as I love this city, the time has come for a new adventure.

what are some of your favorite things to do in boston?

xx, marissa

all about the boots: timberland styles

just the other day I was poking around instagram, looking for some style inspiration and saw a great pair of booties that I fell in love with. I was completely floored when I looked to see who they were designed by, and saw that it was timberland. I had plenty of flashbacks of their awful work boot style shoes for women, in pastel colors, with chunky soles (bleck). these new styles are very much on trend, short desert booties in neutral suede, or a classic bootie with metal buckles. for new england winters, having boots with a good sole is absolutely necessary. there have been way too many times that I've almost wiped out on slippery cobblestones or slick bricks. these boots, with the classic timberland sole, seem like a great option to add to your shoe wardrobe. and no one would ever guess that they're timberland.

have you seen any of these new, updated timberland styles? what are your thoughts on their updated look?

xx, marissa

26 before 26

 

today officially makes the day that I am a quarter century old, holy holy! while some people my age are off having their quarter life crisis (been there, done that), getting married (eep!), or having babies (double eep!), I'm prepping for my cross country move and spending time with my friends&family before I head west. 25 is usually a big number for most people (5's and 0's have always meant big birthdays in my eyes), but as someone who has been waiting to turn 26 since just about forever, this upcoming year will hopefully be an exciting one :) since the whole moving across the country things doesn't seem to be enough, I've decided to challenge myself just a bit more, and figure out 26 things I want to do before I reach that golden birthday.

1. learn to drive stick shift
2. get another tattoo
3. volunteer 26 times
4. get a puppy
5. create something
6. take a class in something (cooking, painting, dance...)
7. ride a bicycle along venice beach (with a basket, preferably in a pastel color. non-negotiable)
8. drink wine in nappa valley
9. go to disney land
10. go camping... or glamping ;)
11. hike a mountain (a small mountain)
12. try surfing (key word being try)
13. brush up on my spanish
14. try 26 different foods
15. learn to run a mile
16. travel somewhere outside the country (preferably someplace I've never been)
17. visit san francisco
18. go to 26 concerts/performances/shows
19. have my tarot cards done
20. start doing yoga
21. cut a guilty pleasure out of my diet
22. sing in public
23. continue blogging (consistently!)
24. skype/facetime with my family at least 4x a month
25. adopt meatless mondays
26. wear sunscreen everyday

what are some things that are on your bucket list/that you want to accomplish for yourself?

xx, marissa

this weekend: trunk show with designer Page Sargisson

one of my favorite parts of my job is putting together events to bring the designers that we carry & love, into the store. this weekend new york designer page sargisson will be stopping by with her collection, for an afternoon filled with jewels and cocktails. her pieces are the perfect present for any new mamas (hello push present), newlyweds (day of gift), or anyone special in your life (birthday, christmas, just because). her constellation charms are my favorite- tiny diamonds set in gold to display your (or your little ones) astrological sign. I dream of one on a long gold chain to wear layered with other shorter pieces. her calendar charms are the perfect way to remember any special date in your life (birthdate, anniversary, or wedding date). as an added bonus, all page pieces purchased that day will receive 20% off. I know it's a bit early to be talking christmas/the holidays, but scoring a perfect present and 20% off- how could you go wrong? join us october 25th at M. Flynn in Boston's South End (46 Waltham Street).

will you be in the city this weekend? stop by and check out page and her jewels!

xx, marissa