Mr. Specs Went To Washington

Let me just say that I had an excellent trip to DC, thanks in large part to my high school friend Scott (who lives there now), his girlfriend Wendy, and blog friends Thomas from My White Shirt, Jenn from Dear Heart, and Suann from Simple Song. 

I did not do tons of tourist-y stuff, but that was by design.  Mostly it was about the sweet treats and shopping.  Oh, and a Joel Osteen spotting at Barney's.  Here are the results of my main tourist thing, which was a trip through the excellent Hirshhorn Museum.

You know I loves me some stamps.  This sculpture by Tony Cragg is called Subcommittee.  Clever, no?

My jury is still out on whether some of this is actually art, but it's subjective.  I get that.  This is a row of blue fluorescent lights.  Untitled (to Helga and Carlo, with respect and affection) by Dan Flavin.

The Tragic Comedians by Walt Kuhn.

Composition with Blue and Yellow.  Piet Mondrian was not one to mince words.

Neither was Alberto Giacometti.  Tall Figure.  Go figure.

I'll do another DC post in the next few days, so stay tuned.  Since that trip each weekend has been filled with family events, and the weekdays seem to be flying by.  I've been hitting up the treadmill and clearing out the DVR, so the plan is to get back into blogging more consistently very soon. 

Thanks for checking in!

Mr. Specs Goes to Washington

Later this week I'm heading to Washington, DC to visit some friends new and old.  And some bakeries.  And some founding-of-America-type stuff.  Needless to say, I'm pretty pumped.

Please let me know if you have any recommendations for must-see places and must-eat treats.

The New Black

After all this sweatin' and scrubbin' that's been going on lately, I decided to have what Tom Haverford and Type (A)-shley call a treat yo'self moment.  In a non-caloric manner.

The Boscia Luminizing Black Mask is a great way to do it.  What is it, you ask.  Well, let me tell you.  It's a facial in a tube.  It's a treat for the senses.  It's a miracle worker.

Maybe that's a bit much hype, but it works.  It's a black, clay-based treatment that you apply generously to the skin.  Wait about 15-20 minutes, and (no kidding) it easily peels off in contiguous sections, leaving behind a glowing, debris-free blank canvas.

It's $34 at Sephora, but it will last quite a while.  Remember that you can always sample at Sephora, so if you're curious, just give it a little whirl.

Nitty Gritty

After several of my recent cardio sessions, I have treated myself to this scrub from St. Ives.  Well, it's actually called Purify Exfoliating Body Wash.  Excuse me. 

I saw it in Real Simple and figured that a few dollars was totally worth it.  And it was.  This product is formulated with 100% natural exfoliants (sea salt), and it's made without parabens and phthalates.  Bonus!

It's not too fine or coarse, so the texture is just right.  The fragrance gets a B-, but I like it more for what it lacks than what it has thrown in.  Give it a whirl if you're looking for an inexpensive skin treat.  You should be able to find it at Target, Wal-Mart, CVS, Amazon, and so on.

Have a great weekend!

Dah dah dah dah dahhhh....I'm losin' it!*

I had a request from one of my readers to explain what's going on with my fitness, so I wanted to share.  At the beginning of this year, I stepped on a scale for the first time in a few months, and I did not like what I saw.  I had put on about 25 pounds from this time last year, and I had to regain control.

As luck would have it, a friend at work expressed a similar goal and told me about LoseIt.com.  (That's their logo up top.)  It's a website (and a free app) that allows users to set a weight loss (or maintenance) goal; the site then produces a daily calorie budget.  You input the food you eat and the exercise you do, and it magically keeps you on track.

Y'all know that I love a sweet treat in life, but I've definitely cut those down quite a bit.  It's been a lot of turkey sandwiches, grilled chicken, oatmeal, and cereal.  And Skinny Cow.  Usually I'll have a cheat day on the weekend and indulge in a cupcake or some chocolate.  But I don't keep candy at my desk these days.

I have gotten back to the gym so far this year, too, and about three to four times a week I will power walk on that treadmill (usually 4.5 mph) for about 50 minutes.  Then most days I'll hop over to the elliptical for about 10-12 minutes.   My body has taken on a new, leaner shape, and I have to say that all this dedication has been worth it.  I'm down 16 pounds so far, and I feel stronger than I have in a long time.  In more ways than one.

*sung to the McDonald's theme...a lil' irony for yaz

Sideshow Sign Co.

Over on Valet, I spied some sweet artwork from Sideshow Sign Co., which just so happens to be based right here out of Nashville. 

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I love this guy's work.  From specs to twin brothers, it is so for me.

$90

$130

A Refreshing Weekend

The last few days have been filled with rest, exercise, and a bit of shopping.  I finally (after about five years) tracked down ranunculus.  Because I was using my counter/bar for some Specs Appeal Papers, I moved the vase to the bathroom.  (See my toothbrush in the background?  Hehe.)

And then I came across this post from Dear Heart (formerly Dept. of the Interior).  Then I saw an Instagram update from Jane at Ill Seen, Ill Said.  It seems that we all had the same idea for flowers this weekend.  Great minds, right, Jane?  :)

Mine came from Trader Joe's, and I must say that I'm enamored.  They're so free-form as extensions on curly stems, but the buds are rather geometric.  Nice little conundrums, those ranunculus.  (See what I did there with the nuns?)

And shhh....I'm off work tomorrow, too.  Look out, J.Crew Outlet.  Look out, Hunger Games.  I'm going to round out this momentous weekend of we-meet-at-lasts.