Lizzing London - I'm here!

Hello from London! This has basically been my subject line in every email I've sent in the last two weeks. I'm finally here and somewhat settled into "normal" life. I've been here for 2 weeks now and can say that I do feel like I live in London! Here are some major topics and some updates.

Classes: 
Classes started last week and I love them so far. Although, there is so much reading my eyes might fall out of my head. I am starting week 2 tomorrow and basically have all of my classes on Mondays and Tuesdays only until my certification workshop starts in late November. That leaves a lot of time to do fun things - like more readings for class haha. But really, it does help that I have a 5 day weekend and can really space out how I want to work.

My Flat:
The building is tucked away behind a busy high street in the borough of Southwark. That flat is laid out very oddly, but it's pretty functional nonetheless. My room is a bit bigger than I thought it would be and I have plenty of storage space. I have three roommates that I'm very slowly starting to get to know who are from China and Mexico. The building is only for Postgraduates at King's, so I've met a lot of people who are doing as much reading as I am so it's nice to have some study buddies.

The area: 
I basically live in the Lakeview of London with just a hint of Wicker Park mixed in. It's technically in Central London, but just outside of all of the major landmarks. I live south of the river, so when I travel to one of the campuses, I get to walk across Waterloo bridge and see this:

OMG, right? I get to live here!



People: 
I've gotten to meet people from all over the world since the building I live in is only for International students. My program is also very international with students from 35 countries out of the 90 of us - pretty awesome!

I have learned so much already just being here two weeks. Here's what I've been thinking about the most.

- I take English for granted and I'm totally spoiled by the fact that everyone else has to speak English to me.
- I need to learn 10 languages ASAP.
- I can get by with only 4 pillows on my bed.
- Coffee and I are BFFs again.
- Weekends are for class reading. As all days of the week are.
- Getting lost in London is a right of passage. Unlimited data for GPS is a must.
- The CityMapper app is a literal life saver.
- Buses are awesome for getting you places, but they often don't take the route they're supposed to. Be prepared for unannounced detours for no reason at all.
- The coins are still confusing.
- Groceries are the most expensive thing ever.
- Foxes to London are rats to Chicago.

Lizzing London, Volume 2: Two Weeks to Go

Welp - we're in the final countdown!

I've been unemployed for about a week and a half. I'm sorting through my things to get it down to just a suitcase or two. I'm spending time with family and friends.

Right now, it all still feels like I'm just on a bit of a vacation from my real life and that I'll be going back to work and my normal life in Chicago very soon.

Here's what I've learned in the last week and a half: 

1. Without a schedule, I honestly never know what day of the week it is. I need one of those calendars that says the date and day of the week like in a nursing home.
2. I make a lot of lists to feel productive.
3. I take a lot of naps.
4. I have entirely too much stuff.
5. All of my hair appliances are dual voltage: win!
6. I'm really bad at that "Two Dots" game.

The next time I write, it will be from London. How crazy is that?
Cheers!

Lizzing London, Volume 1: One Month to go!

I can't remember how to change the title of my blog. That's how long it's been since I've even considered blogging again. Please bear with me.

Now, this blog will be much different than what I have previously been writing about, my dear reader - all one of you. I'm sure you (basically just my mom) are really going to like the new direction, though. As you might have noticed from the title, I'm off on a new adventure in a new city. In just about a month, I'll be packing up and heading off to London to start grad school!

To recap the last year that lead up to this actually happening, here is a timeline.

May/June 2013: travel to London with family. Freak out on plane ride there. Love the city from day 1. Wonder about the construction workers outside our flat for next two weeks while exploring the city. Get hooked on tea with milk and the electric teapot.

June/July/August 2013: Think a lot about doing my personal essay, get references together, write a bunch of personal essay that gets deleted. process repeats.

September 2013: Whole month spent helping with BFF's upcoming wedding, doing wedding activities, worrying about writing maid of honor speech, and actually write something significant for personal essay.

September 30th 2013: Stay up until ungodly hours re-writing most of personal essay after having panic that it's the worst thing I've ever written. Big props to Genna for editing me in my panic.

October 2nd 2013: Submit application, panic for next week about doing it correctly. Genna gets married. Sweat a lot on day of wedding.

October & most of November: Incessantly check to see if there is an update on application. No update.

November 27th 2013: FIND OUT I GOT INTO KING'S AND HAVE TOTAL EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN.

January 2014: Apply for housing. Mostly no panic happening.

January - May 2014: Worry about leaving, worry about not leaving, worry about having everything together, attempt to get rid of everything I own, but then worry about not having anything left, get overly excited, plan for every inevitable failure in life, freak out a lot, move out of apartment, freak out even more, give notice at work, stop panicking so much, oh wait - more panic.

June 2014: Apply for visa & attempt to get IL driver's license. This license part isn't even really part of this story, but it was an ordeal that I cannot forget.

July 2014: Plan lots of fun things, start to get so excited and not so much panic, get Visa approved, enjoy time in Chicago before I leave.


So, now we're caught up. As you can see, I spent the better part of the last 12 months losing my mind over this, but it's all been worth it knowing that I'll get to spend at least the next year of my life (hopefully more!) in London, in my opinion of one of the greatest cities ever.

My blog will definitely still be a place where I rant about beauty, fashion, and other odd things that are girly, but also a travel blog - the series named by the famous Greyhound bus tweeter, Kelli Johnson (@kellistlouis)

Welcome to Lizzing London.

Bringing it Back

Well hey there - it's been awhile! After a long break over the spring & summer, I've decided it's about time to start up the blog again.  To recap the spring and summer as concisely as possible: it was great! Hot days spent at the pool, cool beers on the deck, and a truly beautiful wedding for my very best friend leave me with some pretty wonderful memories of the last few months.

And now it's fall. My favorite time of year. October brought apple picking, lots of baking, comfy sweaters, and boots. Really, you can't argue that all of those things aren't the best! I'm not sure if it's the weather or just the itch to bring a little life back to Lace&Dinosaurs, but I think either way, I'm excited to try some new things on this blog this year.

That said, I'm going to start with an old reliable for me - favorites! Since it's been ever-so-long since I've done one of these, here are just a few items I'm really digging right now.

Michael Todd Organics - Blue Green Algae Toner 

This toner changed my skin! I've been using it for quite some time now and I can honestly say that when I stop using it, my skin just isn't as great. It's antibacterial AND hydrating so it helps to keep your skin clean and prepped for moisturizer. For realz - it's awesome!

Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood Candle 

I'm just going to come out and say it - this smells like a man. It's awesome. That's all.

Kindle 

I was definitely one of those people who was opposed to an e - reader for a very, very long time. I enjoy the feeling of holding a real book and just the idea that it's a physical thing you can touch & feel. But, after one of my handbags broke due to the weight of a particularly heavy book, I decided it was time to broaden my horizons and get a Kindle. And you know what? It's freaking cool.

Bow Necklace - Forever 21 

Forever 21 is known for its cheap (and easily broken) jewelry, but this one was quite the find! It's delicate and adorable and I wear it nearly everyday. The best part? It hasn't broken yet! Oh, and it's a bow. Duh.

Boyce Avenue 

In my search for new music, I discovered this cover band. They cover just about everything and it's great to listen to anytime you need to chill out - give their Pandora station a try! You won't regret it!

Reign 

I know, I know - this show is definitely for a younger crowd. It's on the CW for goodness sake. But, I am thoroughly enjoying it. Anything related to the royals in the UK immediately catches my attention and even better, the fashion in this show is KILLER. Not always (most of the time, actually) historically relevant, but I love it all the same. I mean, those head pieces? COME ON.

Welcome to November!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Well, that's a mouthful! I have seen these lip products everywhere in advertising, on beauty blogs, and on Youtube. They're the next cult lip product from Revlon to follow their wildly successful Lip Butters that came out last year.

These babies have a long name, but are totally worth the hype. There are 12 colors in the line and in my opinion, they have a pretty good color selection. The colors are:

Honey, Crush, Darling, Cherish, Lovesick, Sweetheart, Smitten, Charm, Rendezvous, Romantic, Precious, and Adore - obviously Revlon is going for a theme here.

The colors range from a deep brownish red color to bright pinks and corals. They seem to have a color for every skin tone without going overboard.

I have Honey, Darling, and Smitten.

Honey is a pretty baby pink with a hint of brown to make it more wearable while Darling is a purpley-pink that definitely gives the 80's vibe. It's kind of awesome. However, my favorite of the three is Smitten. It's a deep fuchsia color that brightens your face and adds a pop of color for a night out.

Left to Right in both: Darling, Honey, Smitten. 

That being said, one of my favorite parts about this product is the texture. They are absolutely a lip stain and do settle on your lips, but they are not drying at all and go on exactly like a plain lip balm. They're smooth and creamy and give a semi-glossy finish without looking like you slicked up your lips. I think that gives them a much more mature and wearable quality. I have nothing bad to say about these. They're great!

Run out and get one (or a few) because this product is definitely worth it.

Green Smoothie - Three Ways

Juice cleanses and crash diets have bombarded me since the beginning of the new year. But, let's be real - New Year Resolutions have been a hot topic everywhere and now that it's March, things are starting to peter out. Well, friends, not for me!

Instead of making a huge goal that I could not meet or trying to go on a health kick that resembled not eating, I decided to just incorporate more healthy things into my life. If you add more and more healthy items into your daily routine, there isn't any room left for the unhealthy ones.

That leads me to green smoothies. I have seen recipes for these things EVERYWHERE. Pinterest has some great ones and so does everyone and their mother. They're not that difficult, but they are that delicious. Here is my take on three of my favorite green smoothie recipes.

Recipe 1: Strawberry Mango 

For this recipe (and all to follow) I used baby spinach and a mixture of dark greens from Trader Joe's. I was going for kale, but they were out. Any dark green will do.

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 handful of frozen mango pieces
1 handful of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup water

Cut everything up into small pieces and start by putting all of your greens in at the bottom. I'd suggest putting just a few slices of apple near the bottom as well. It helps the blades of your blender grab onto the greens. Next, squeeze in your lemon (don't worry about the seeds - they'll get ground up) and pile on the rest of the fruit. Finish by adding the water. Blend until smooth. You may need to poke everything around a bit to get things going depending on power of your blender.

Recipe 2: Strawberry Banana 

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 ripe banana
1 handful of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup water

The recipe works the same as above, but I replaced the mango with banana. I was a bit worried about having banana and greens in the same drink, and to be honest, it was great for the texture, but not so great for the taste. To fix, I just added a few more strawberries and voilà - delicious.

Recipe 3: Mixed Berry Avocado 

You will need:
2 large handfuls of dark greens
1/2 apple of your choice
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
1 handful of frozen mixed berries
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4 cup water

 This smoothie turned out to be absolutely amazing, but looked SO much less desirable. The avocado really helped blend things together and make it creamy and the berries gave it more tang than the others.  The photo of the final product wasn't so great as red + green = brownish red. However, don't let the color distract you from the flavor. It was one of my favorites.

A few tips for your smoothie making adventures: 
1. Always use an apple. The apple in this smoothie is the equivalent to the egg in pasta - it binds everything together.
2. Using frozen fruit helps to keep the smoothie cold. You could also use fresh fruit, add ice, and cut back on the water, but in winter, the frozen fruit works great.
3. Have about the same ratio of each item you're adding (aside from the lemon). It helps with your portions. Each of these smoothies made one 8oz drink for me.

These smoothies taste great and help you get a lot of nutrients into breakfast, lunch, or a snack. They're packed with fiber and fill you up. You could also add a spoonful of greek yogurt to these to help with the texture if it bothers you, but I chose to keep mine vegan.

Happy smoothie making!

Pomegranate Nail Polish - Review

I stumbled upon the Pomegranate nail polish brand almost 9 months ago while browsing for fall colors online. I snagged a few in a sale they were having at the time and tested the colors quickly when they arrived, but they soon ended up in my bin of polish in my dresser and I forgot about them. Just last week, I decided to finally give them a shot and the outcome was totally worth it!

The Pomegranate brand boasts that it is formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, camphor free, made in the USA and not tested on animals. For more information about chemical free nail polish, the Beauty Editor has a great write up.

I chose to go with the color "Curator" to keep with the dark winter colors. It is a deep black color with small gold and silver glitter floating in it.

 As this polish doesn't contain any chemicals, it actually doesn't smell as bad. It goes on a bit thick, but really smooth at the same time and gives a totally opaque finish after just two coats. The really cool part about the polish is the way the glitter shows up. Somehow, they found a way to make the glitter show up in different layers. It looks as though it is suspended on different levels on your nail and I think this one in particular comes out looking a bit like a galaxy. I don't think these photos do it justice.

Another plus side to this polish? I took these photos three days after I painted my nails. Great staying power! They lasted about 5 days before any major chips. I my book, that's awesome. My only complaint is the brush. It's only so-so in comparison to the Essie brushes and even the Sally Hansen Quick Dry brushes. 

Overall - definitely worth a shot. I'm excited to try some of the other colors from this brand!